COLEOPTERA. 583 



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

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

 are five-jointed ; but unhke 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 moFi-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, Boletotheriis bifiir- 

 ciLs (Bol-et-o-the'rus bi-fur'cus), is common in the 

 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. 

 711). The larva lives within the fungi referred 

 to above. 



The Pifiacate-biLgs (Pin-ah-cah'te-bugs). — Sev- 

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

 on the Pacific coast, where they are found under 

 Fig. 7h. 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 



