COLEOPTERA. 583 



in the form of the body. As with the blister-beetles, the 

 hind tarsi are four-jointed, and the fore and middle tarsi 

 are five-jointed ; but unlike the members of that family, the 

 body and wing-covers are firm, and the head is narrower 

 than the prothorax. 



These insects occur chiefly in dry and warm regions. 

 Thus while we have comparatively few species in the North- 

 eastern United States, there are many in the. Southwest. 

 Most of the species feed on dry vegetable matter, and often 

 on that which is partially decomposed ; some live in dung, 

 some in dead animal matter, others in fungi, and a few 

 prey upon larvae. More than four hundred species occur in 

 this country. The three following will serve to illustrate 

 the variations in form and habits : — 



The Meal-worm, Tenebrio molitor (Te-neb'ri-o mol'l-tor). 

 — This is a well-known pest in granaries and mills. The 

 larva is a hard, waxy-yellow, cylindrical worm, which meas- 

 ures when full grown an inch or more in length, and 

 closely resembles a wire-worm ; it feeds on flour and 

 meal. The beetle is black, and about five eighths 

 of an inch in length (Fig. 710). 



The Forked Fungus-beetle, Boletotherus bifur- 

 cus (Bol-et-o-the'rus bi-f ur'cus), is common in the FlG ' 7I °' 

 Northeastern United States and in Canada about the large 

 toadstools (Polyporus) which grow on the sides of trees. 

 The surface of the body and wing-covers is very rough, and 

 the prothorax bears two prominent horns (Fig. 



\*jQb/ 7 11 )- The larva lives within the fungi referred 



JjSlr to above. 

 r ffk g\ The Pinacate-bugs (Pin-ah-cah'te-bugs). — Sev- 



rapn eral species of Eleodes (El-e-o'des) are abundant 



" on the Pacific coast, where they are found under 



IG ' 7I1 * stones and pieces of wood lying on the ground. 



They are apt to congregate in large numbers under a single 



shelter, and are clumsy in their movements. They defend 



themselves when disturbed by elevating the hinder part of 



