COLEOPTERA. 361 



or less solid than underneath. The number of joints in the tarsi 

 varies from three to five. 



The Coleoptera undergo a complete metamorphosis. The larva 

 resembles a worm, having a scaly head, a mouth analogous to that 

 of the perfect insect in the number of its parts, and usually six feet. 

 Some few species are destitute of them, or have merely simple 

 mammilla?. 



The pupa is inactive and takes no nourishment. The habitations, 

 mode of life, and other habits of these Insects, in both states, vary 

 greatly. 



I divide this order into four sections, according to the number of 

 joints in the tarsi. 



The first comprises the Pentamera, or those in which all the 

 tarsi consist of ^ve joints, and is composed of six families. 



FAMILY I. 



CARNIVORA. 



Two palpi to each maxilla, or six in all; antennse almost always 

 filiform or setaceous, and simple. 



The maxillae are terminated by a scaly hook or claw, and the in- 

 terior side is furnished with cilia or little spines. The ligula is fixed 

 in an emargination of the menturn. The two anterior legs are in- 

 serted on the sides of a compressed sternum, and placed on a large 

 patella; the two posterior have a stout trochanter at their origin; 

 their first joint is large, appears to be confounded with the post- 

 pectus, and forms a curvilinear triangle, with the exterior side ex- 

 cavated. 



These Insects pursue and devour others. Several have no wings 

 under their elytra. The anterior tarsi in most of the males are 

 dilated or widened. 



The larvae also are very carnivorous. Their body is usually cy- 

 lindrical, elongated, and composed of twelve rings; the head, which 

 is not included in this supputation, is large, squamous, armed with 

 two stout mandibles, recurved at the poii\t, and presents two short 

 and conical antennse, two maxillsB divided into two branches, one 

 of which is formed by a palpus, a ligula bearing two palpi, shorter 

 2 V 



