.314 CLASS INSECTA. 



The second tribe, that of the Elaterides, does not differ 

 essentially from the preceding, but that the hinder stilet of 

 the praesternum, terminating in a point, compressed late- 

 rally, and often a little arched, and unindentated, sinks at the 

 will of the animal into a cavity of the breast, situated im- 

 mediately above the origin of the second pair of feet, and 

 that these insects, placed on the back, have the faculty of 

 jumping. (See lower down.) They have for the most part 

 mandibles, emarginated or cleft at their extremity, the palpi 

 terminated by an articulation much larger than the preceding, 

 in the form of a triangle or axe, and the articulations of the 

 tarsi entire. This tribe comprehends only the genus 



Elateu, of Linnaeus. 



Their body is generally more narrow and more elongated 

 than that of the Buprestides, and the posterior angles of the 

 corslet are prolonged into a sharp point, spine-formed. 



They have been named in French ScaraMes a ressort, and in 

 Latin, Notopeda, elater. Laid upon their back, and not being 

 able to rise in consequence of the shortness of their feet, they 

 jump and raise themselves perpendicularly into the air, until 

 they fall back into their natural position, or on their legs. To 

 execute these motions they press them against the under part 

 of the body, lower the head inferiorly, and the corslet which 

 is very mobile, from top to bottom, then drawing together 

 this last part of the post-pectus, they push with force the 

 point of the praesternum against the edge of the hole situated 

 in front of the mesosternum, where it then sinks abruptly, and 

 as it were by a spring. The corslet with the lateral points, 

 the head, the upper part of the elytra striking with force 

 against the plane of position, especially if it be firm and 

 smooth, concur, by their elasticity, to raise the body in the 

 air. The sides of the praesternum are distinguished by a 



