282 NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OF INSECTS. 



As the Capricorn and the lamellicorn tribes live upon 

 vegetables, they are of course more analogous to each 

 other, than either of them are to the Predatoj'es, where 

 the food is so totally different. We shall, therefore, say 

 nothing of this last column in our table, but confine our- 

 selves to illustrating the tribe we are now more particu- 

 larly engaged upon. "W^hile rejecting the tarsal system, 

 adopted by our modern nomenclators, as totally at va- 

 riance with all natural classification, we yet attach no 

 small importance to the different construction of the foot, 

 whenever we find it is accompanied by other decided and 

 general characters, whether of economy or of structure. 

 When used with caution, it will assuredly lead to most 

 satisfactory results, of which the arrangement of the two 

 chief lamellicorn families (the CetoniadcB and the Scara- 

 bfpidce') is a striking instance. Now, it is very obvious 

 that each of these find their prototypes among the Capri- 

 corn beetles. The elegant and highly ornamented Ceto- 

 niad(B correspond with the Lepturidce, in having their 

 tarsi long, linear, or cylindrical : both live also upon 

 nearly the same food, and may be even seen upon the 

 same flowers. The Scaruhceidee and the Ceramhycidce, 

 on the other hand, have a form and an economy very 

 different. They are both more bulky and inactive, and 

 have the tarsal joints short, broad, and more or less di- 

 lated on their sides. We look upon these organs, in 

 fact, as only extreme modifications of the same primary 

 structure, just as that which we see in the tarsi of a 

 Leptura and a Cicindela; these latter being both cur- 

 sorial, or adapted for running. Many of the Ceram- 

 bycidce, again, live on decomposed or dead wood, either 

 in their larva or perfect state, or in both ; and all the 

 ScarabcBidee subsist upon decayed or decomposed vege- 

 table matter : the colours of both are dull or dark, and 

 they are equally tardy and heavy in their motions. In 

 short, the parallels between tiiese two typical divisions 

 are as strong as the nature of the case can possibly ad- 

 mit ; nor are there wanting instances where the lamelli- 

 form antennae of one is seen in a much greater degree of 



