THE MONILICORNES. 309 



Cokoptera, is shown in a different way. They have the 

 shortest tarsi of all others, and composed of the fewest 

 joints * ; they are consequently the slowest walkers. 

 We thus verify our second proposition^ of their being 

 the most aberrant of all Coleoptera, when viewed in op- 

 position to the Cicindelidcp, — the most pre-emineiuly 

 typical of the order in the powers of locomotion. 



(276.) Looking, therefore, to the Cassidce, and their 

 near neighbours, the CoccinelUdce, or ladybirds, and the 

 Chrysomelidce, we see a numerous assemblage of small, 

 thick, globose beetles, with the body very convex on 

 the upper part ; the thorax nearly as broad as the elytra : 

 the head is always small, either sunk in front of the 

 thorax, or concealed beneath it : the antennae are moni- 

 liform, or resembling a string of beads : the legs are short 

 and thick, with the tarsi dilated and heart-shaped; the 

 first joint of the tarsus, in the typical group, being scarcely 

 longer than the second. Primary characters, however, 

 taken from these organs, in the present group, are ab- 

 solutely of no value whatever, for they vary in the most 

 remarkable manner in almost every family ; nay, some- 

 times, in the most natural genera. Among these insects, 

 the Cassidce are most remarkable for the singularity of 

 their forms, and the Chrysomelidce for the brilliancy of 

 their metallic colours. MacLeay, looking also to other 

 characters, perceived it was one of the most natural 

 groups in the whole order. He defines it as having " a 

 hexapod and distinctly antenniferous larva, with a sub- 

 ovate, rather conical body, of which the second segment 

 is longer, and of a different form from the others, so as 

 to give the appearance of a thorax." This definition 

 is more especially taken from the larvae of Cassida and 

 Coecinella, the two typical families of the tribe. Among 



* Mr. MacLeay, long ago, completely exposed the artificial nature of the 

 tarsal system {Linn. Trans, xv.), by showing, that what the French thought 

 were tetramerous beetles, are in fact pentamerous ; and that those which 

 were called trimerous, were actually tetramerous! And yet we tind this 

 exploded system taken up again, and called " Modern Classification," be- 

 cause " it is in general use, and of easy application : " so is the binary 

 system of Kennie. 



X 3 



