56 



Genus XXI. ELATER. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Antenna setaceous. Palpi four, with the last 

 articulation hatchet-shaped; an elastic spine 

 projecting from the breast, or under side of 

 the thorax. Tarsi with five articulations. 



General Observations. 



The spines at the end of the thorax strongly 

 mark the species belonging to this genus, but 

 not so the antennae, as described by Linnaeus ; 

 since, in some of the species they are filiform, 

 in others pectinated, and in some serrated. 



Many of the coleopterous insects find it very 

 difficult to restore themselves when laid on the 

 back. The singularly curious apparatus with 

 which the insects of this genus are provided for 

 that purpose, was well known to Geoffroy; 

 and is thus described in the Elements of Na- 

 tural History. An elastic spring or spine pro- 

 jects from the hinder extremity of the breast, 

 and there is a groove or cavity in the anterior 

 part of the abdomen. When laid on its back, 



