KEY TO FAMILIES OF LAMEIJL.ICORNIA. 



903 



Series IV. LAMELLICORNIA. 



All members of this series have the tarsi 5-jointed and the an- 

 tennas with three to seven of the terminal joints broader on one 

 side,, so as to form a peculiar club, the parts of which are movable. 

 The front tibia? are dilated and strongly toothed or scalloped on the 

 outer edge. The larva? live on decaying vegetable matter, roots or 

 dung. Two families comprise the series, both of which are repre- 

 sented in the State. 



KEY TO FAMILIES OF LAMELLICORISTA. 



a. Antenna? usually elbowed, the outer joints or lamella? not flattened, but 

 prolonged on the inner side to form a pectinate club, the joints of 

 which cannot be brought closely together (Fig. 4. Xo. 13) ; elytra 

 entirely covering the dorsal surface of the abdomen, tbe latter with 

 five ventral segments visible at the sides. 



Family XLIX. Lucaxid.e, p. 903. 

 aa. Antenna? not elbowed, the lamella? flattened and capable of forming a 

 compact club (Fig. 359) ; elytra usually leaving the pygidium un- 

 covered; six or seven ventral segments visible on the sides. 



Family L. Scarab.etd.e, p. 909. 



Family XLIX. LUCAXID.E. 

 The Stag Beetles. "Pixchixg Bugs." 



A small family of large or medium-sized beetles distinguished 

 by having the outer joints of antenna? leaf-like but not capable of 

 being opposed or folded together into a compact club, as in the 

 next family, the Scaraba?ida?, to which they are otherwise closely 

 allied. The clubs of the antenna? are therefore pectinate,, or comb- 

 toothed, rather than lamellate. In the majority of species the an- 

 tenna? are elbowed or crooked, the second and following joints form- 

 ing an angle with the first. The common names, "stag beetles" and 

 "pinching bags," are given them on account of the great develop- 

 ment of the mandibles, which, in the males of some species, are 

 branched like the antlers of a stag. 



In addition to the characters above mentioned the Lucanida? 

 have the mentum large, horn-like, quadrate (triangular in Nica- 

 gus) ; maxilla? usually covered and with two lobes, one or both of 

 which bears a fixed, horn-like terminal hook ; antenna? 10-jointed, 

 inserted under the margin of the front: elytra rounded at tip. 

 covering the abdomen, which lias five free ventral segments; legs 



