488 INSECTA. 



servations of M. Leon Dufour, with the highly interesting experi- 

 ments of Dr Bretonneuu of Tours, on the vesicating property of the 

 Insects of this tribe and of several other Coleoptera, enable us to 

 arrange these generic sections in a natural order, which differs but 

 little from that we had already adopted. The latter gentleman has 

 ascertained that the Sitares do not possess the property in question, 

 and the former found but four biliary vessels in the saTne Heteromera, 

 instead of six which exist in. the other Insects of this tribe. Indepen- 

 dently of this, Sitaris resembles Zonitis in the whole ensemble of the 

 organization, and these latter are contiguous to the Cantharides. 

 These Insects thus occupying one of the extremities of this tribe, it 

 is easy, by a comparative study of their other relations, to follow the 

 series until Ave reach the opposite extremity — it accords with the 

 progressive changes in the form of the antennae. 



In some, those of both sexes consist of but nine joints, the last of 

 which is very large and in the form of an ovoid head(l); those of the 

 males, as well as their maxillary palpi, are very irregular. The 

 body is depressed. Such is the 



Cerocoma, Geoff. Schaeff. Fab. 



These Insects make their appearance during the summer solstice, 

 and frequently in great numbers in the same spotj they are found on 

 flowers, particularly on those of the wild Chamomile, the Mil- 

 foil, &c. 



C. Schsefferi; Meloe Schasfferi, L.; Oliv., Col., 111,48, i, 1. 

 Green or bluish-greenj antennae and feet of a wax-yellow(2). 



In all the others, the palpi are identical and regular in both sexes. 

 The antennae usually consist of eleven joints, and when there is one 

 or two less, they always terminate regularly in a club. The body is 

 tolerably thick and the elytra are somewhat inclined. 



In these, the antennae, always regular and granose in both sexes, 

 sometimes appearing to be composed of nine or ten joints(3), and 

 never longer than half the body, here, terminate in an arcuated club, 

 or are evidently larger at the extremity, and there, from the second 

 joint, form a short, cylindrical, or almost fusiform stem. 



(1) All the Insects of this tribe with clavate antennae, or such as are larger near 

 the end, are foreign to New Holland and America. 



(2) See Lat., Gener. Crust, et Insect, II, p. 212; Olivier, Fabricius, Schoen- 

 herr, and Fischer, Entomog. Imp. Russ., 11, xli, 1, 2, 3, 4. 



(3) The two or three last ones appear to be confounded or intimately united, at 

 least in the females; for the articulations of the club are more distinct in the 

 males. 



