COLEOPTERA. 399 



FAMILY VI. 



LAMELLICORNES. 



In our sixth and last family of pentamerous Coleoptera, we 

 find the antennse inserted into a deep fossula under the lateral 

 margin of the head ; they are always short, usually consist of 

 nine or ten joints, and are always terminated in a club usually 

 composed of the three last, which are lamellar, sometimes 

 flabelliform or disposed like the leaves of a book, opening and 

 closing in a similar way, sometimes concentrically contorted 

 and fitting in each other, the first or inferior then being semi- 

 itifundibuliform and receiving the others, and sometimes 

 arranged perpendicular to the axis and forming a sort of comb. 



The body is generally ovoid or oval, and thick. The ex- 

 terior side of the two anterior tibijB is dentated, and the joints 

 of the tarsi, with the exception of those of some males, are 

 entire and without brush or pellet beneath. 



The anterior extremity of the head most commonly pro- 

 jects or is dilated in the manner of an epistoma. The mentum 

 is usually large, covers the ligula or is incorporated with it, 

 and bears the palpi. The mandibles of several are membra- 

 nous, a character observed in no other coleopterous Insects. 

 The males frequently differ from the females, either by pro- 

 minences on the thorax or head in the form of horns or tuber- 

 cles, or by the largeness of their mandibles. 



This family is very numerous, and with respect to the size 

 of the body, the variety of forms exhibited in the head and 

 thorax, sexually considered, is one of the most beautiful of 

 the order, and frequently also as regards the species, which 

 in their perfect state live upon vegetable substances, by the 

 splendour of the metallic colours with which they are orna- 

 mented. Most of the other species, however, feeding on 

 decomposed vegetable aliment, such as dung, tan, or excre- 

 mentitious matters, are usually of one uniform black or brown 

 hue. Some of the Coprophagi, however, do not yield even 



