146 COLEOPTERA OR BEETLES. 



the elytra at their base. The tarsus may have five, four, or 

 three segments, but never more than five ; the last one ends in 

 two ungues or claws. 



The number of tarsal segments has been made a basis for 

 classification, but such an arrangement is not natural. This 

 classification is as follows : — 



1. PsewJidvimera. — Tarsi composed of four segments, of 



■which one is very minute, giving the appearance of 

 three-jointed tarsi {Coccinellidoi). 



2. PKeuilofetramera. — One segment of the five segments of 



the tarsi very minute and concealed, giving the appear- 

 ance of having four segments (Curculionirhe and 

 Ch7-ysomeKda'). 



3. Heteromera. — Tarsi of the two anterior pairs of legs 



with five segments, of the posterior four {Canthariihe 

 and Tenehrioniihi'). 

 4. — Pi'iifamera. — Tarsi of five segments {Xylophaga, Eluter- 

 ida', LaiiieUiromia, Carabidn^, Cirindelidce, &c.) 



Lady-birds (Cocoixellid.e). 



The Coccinellidae or Lady-bird Beetles are nearly all bene- 

 ficial. Their food consists very largely of plant-lice or Aphidias, 

 and the injurious scale-insects or Cocoidee. Both larval and 

 adult lady-birds have the same diet. There are a great number 

 of species, most being black and red or black and yellow in 

 colour. These useful beetles hibernate during the winter months 

 in the adult state, seeking shelter under the bark of trees, in 

 outhouses, or amongst fallen timber, and ver_v often invading 

 houses in such numbers in the autumn as to comidetely cover 

 the ceilings : this is particularly noticeable to any one living near 

 hop-gardens, where numbers of Coccinellidse always congregate 

 to feed off the hop-lice. 



Perhaps the commonest species are the 2-spottrd lady-bird 

 (CiirrineJla (Adalin) lii-jmuiinfa) (fig. G8, 7), the 10-spotted 



