212 INJURIOUS AND USEFUL INSECTS 



At the end of the series of Diptera may be placed two 

 anomalous sub-orders, the Pupipara and the Aphaniptera. 



Sub-order IV. —Pupipara (forest-flies, bat-ticks, 

 sheep-ticks, etc.) 



Very abnormal flies, parasitic upon mammals and birds. 

 Some are winged, others wingless. The egg is hatched 

 within the parent, and the maggot is not passed out till it 

 is ready to pupate. 



Sub-order V. — Aphaniptera (fleas) 



Often regarded as Diptera which have become degraded 

 by parasitism. They are wingless; the body is laterally 

 compressed; the mouth-parts show some resemblance t6 

 those of such Diptera as Tabanus, though with noteworthy 

 differences, such as the presence of two pairs of palps ; 

 the metamorphosis is complete. 



COLEOPTERA 



Structural peculiarities. — Beetles are protected by a strong 

 chitinous integument, useful to insects which are so often 

 subterranean or otherwise hidden. The legs are usually 

 strong, and often adapted for burrowing. The hind wings 

 are so large that they require to be elaborately folded 

 beneath the elytra; sometimes, however, they are greatly 

 reduced or even totally wanting ; in such beetles the elytra 

 may be soldered together. The elytra are short in the 

 rove-beetles, and vestigial in the oil-beetles {Meloe). The 

 mouth-parts resemble those of a more primitive order, the 

 Orthoptera. 



Life-history. — Beetles undergo a complete transformation, 

 with resting-stage. The larvae vary much in the different 

 families. Three pairs of thoracic legs are usual ; many 

 of the larvas have a peculiar anal prop, which reaches the 

 ground ; it is traversed by the intestine, and is really a 

 body-segment. The larvae of rove-beetles most closely re- 

 semble the adults; in chafers the body becomes thick and 

 fleshy, and the legs relatively short; weevil-larvae, which 



