256 NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OF INSECTS. 



fore, would be the most aberrant of their congeners- 

 Now, on looking to the most aberrant groups in the 

 circles of the Predatores and the LamellicoDw.s, we find 

 in one the Pimelidce, and in the other the Buprestidce ; 

 and in both these, the real organs of flight are very 

 often either totally absent, or very slightly developed. 

 A large proportion of the Pimelidce are apterous, having 

 no wings beneath their elytra ; while these organs in 

 the Buprestidce are so short, that they require not to 

 be folded Avhen the insect is at rest, being not longer 

 than the elytra. It is singular, also, that this absence 

 of wings takes place also among many of the Trogidce ; 

 which, as being the most aberrant group of. the Scara- 

 bceidce, corresponds to the Pimelidce and the Buprestidce. 

 Many apterous insects occur,indeed, both in the families of 

 the CicindelidcB and Cai-ubidce; and these, without doubt, 

 will hereafter prove to be naturally located in similar 

 positions in their own circles. Nevertheless, this cha- 

 racter is obviously only of secondary consequence ; and 

 is here adverted to more for the purpose of showing its 

 indication of extreme aberrant groups, than of laying 

 on it a primary stress. Many of the African Pimelidce, 

 again, put on, as it were, the very aspect of the Tro- 

 gidcE ; so that an inexperienced observer might readily 

 suppose they were of the same genus. Looking to the 

 Lamellicornes, which represent the Lepidoptera, Ave see 

 they are the most perfect flyers of all the Coleoptera : 

 hence the apterous species are remarkably few ; while 

 in the Predatores, equally conspicuous for their run- 

 ning, the true wings are often wanting, as their absence 

 is amply made up by the cursorial structure of their 

 feet. 



(229.) We may conclude this sketch of the natural 

 arrangement of the predatorial groups with the follow- 

 ing table, wherein the analogies, although remote, are 

 still in unison with the last. 



i 



