508 NATURAL AHRAXGEAfENT OP INSECTS. 



CHAP. IX. 



COLEOPTERA, Continued. 



THE MONILICORNES. 



(275.) The Monilicornes appear a most natural 

 tribe of the Coleoptera, when we look only to the chief 

 types ; but until those, which we shall here term the 

 aberrant forms, are better studied, their precise situ- 

 ation in the series is rather surmised than asserted. 

 This division is eminently distinguished from the Ca- 

 pricornes, both by the habits and form of the larvse, no 

 less than of the perfect insects. In one sense they are 

 the most typical of all Coleoptera, whUe in another they 

 are the most aberrant ; a paradox which may be thus 

 explained : — The whole tenour of our remarks upon this 

 order, when looked at as a whole, goes far to prove 

 that the developement of the superior wings, under the 

 form of hard cases, and great powers of walking, are 

 two of the principal characters of the order. Now, 

 the first of these are more conspicuous among the mo- 

 nilicorn beetles, than in any other tribe ; the elytra 

 not merely cover the body in the ordinary manner, but 

 actually, in the typical families, are so much dilated 

 as to project beyond the body, so as to protect the 

 legs; while the thorax, in a similar manner, forms 

 a shield which encircles the head, and completely 

 hides it when viewed from above. These, in fact, are 

 the universal characters of the numerous family of 

 the Cassidee, standing at the head of the tribe ; 

 and which, from thus being concealed, as it were, by 

 a buckler over their bodies and joints, are called tor- 

 toise beetles. Their inferiority, again, to all other 



