168 STATES OF INSECTS, 



in its predaceous habits and threatening aspect. Its 

 convex, compressed, tapering body, terminating in setae 

 or laminse, is certainly much more like that of a shrimp 

 or a prawn ; to which the older Entomologists thought it 

 was akin a , and after which they named it. As Mr. Mac- 

 Leay's object was, to take all his forms from the Ameta- 

 bola, perhaps these larvae will best fall in with his Chilo- 

 podiform type ; though in the general form of their body 

 they most represent a section (Lepisma L.) of the Thy- 

 sannra. 



Chilognathiform forms are equally numerous in the 

 Coleoptera with the preceding. The wire-worm, or larva 

 of Elater Segetis, as to shape best represents the full- 

 grown Iuliis b , and those of the Petalocera (Scarabccus L., 

 Lucanus L.) the young one. 



The most abundant of all forms in this order, is, I 

 think, the Vermiform, upon which I have nothing further 

 to remark. 



With regard to Crustaceoiis forms in Coleoptera, be- 

 sides the Decapodiforni just noticed, I possess two speci- 

 mens of larvae of Silphida: which seem to exhibit a con- 

 siderable analogy with the Isopodous Crustacea, one rather 



a " Squilla insectum a squilla puce parum diff'ert." Mouffet, 319. 



b A remarkable difference obtains between the larva of the wire- 

 worm and that of Slater undulatus. In the former, the last segment 

 is longer than the preceding one, terminating in a small acute mucro 

 at the apex, with a deep cavity, perhaps a spiracle, on each side, at 

 the base. In the latter, this segment is shorter than the preceding 

 one, forming above a nearly circular plate ; the margin of which is a 

 little elevated, and armed on each side with three teeth, and at the 

 apex with a pair of furcate recurved horns, and without any basal 

 spiracle. De Geer iv. 156. 1. v./. 25, I have a similar larva, but not 

 the same species. 



