CLASSIFICATION. 



45 



into three suborders: Cantharidiformta, Staph yliniformia, 

 and Carabiformia. 



I. The Cantharidiformia include the following : — 



1. Tf.redilta, with the families Lymexylonidae (" la famille qui est la 



plus voisine du Neuroptere ancestral Anobiidse (Anobiinse, 

 Ptininae), Bostrychidee (Lyctinae, Bostrychinae), Oupedidae, and 

 Derodontidae. 



2. Malacodermata, with the families Cantharididae or Telephoridae 



(including Cantharidinae or Telephorinae, Lycinae, Lampyrinae, 

 Drilinse) and MelyridiB (Malachiinse, Melyrinae, Corynetinae, 

 Clerinse). 



3. Sternoxi, with the families Dascillidas (Dascillinae, Chelonariinae, 



Eucinetinae, and Oyphoninae ; the latter two are referred to the 

 Dascillidae with some doubt), Elateridae (Cebrioninae, Pero- 

 thopinae, Eucneminae, Cerophytinae, Soleniscinse, Elaterinse, 

 Throscinae), and Buprestidae. 



4. Macro d act yles, with the family Parnidae (Psepheninae, Parninae, 



Elmidinae, and Heterocerinae). 



5. Brachymera, with the families Dermestidae and Byrrhidas ; in 



the latter family Nosodendron is included, although very doubt- 

 fully, as Lameere says that it has nothing in common with the 

 Byrrhidae except the retractability of the legs. 



6. Palpicornia, with the family Hydrophiudae (Helophorinae, 



Hydrophilinae). 



7. Clavicornia, with the families Nitidulidae (Hypocephalinae, 



Sphaeritinae, Synteliinae, Trogositinae, Nitidulinae, Byturinse), 

 Mycetophagidae, Cissidse (Cissinae, Sphindinae), Erotylidae (Ero- 

 tylinae, Cryptophaginae), Phalacridae, Colydiidae, Lathridiidge, 

 Endomychidae (Mycetaeinae, Endomychinae), Coccinellidae, Cucu- 

 jidae (Cucujinae, Helotinae), Brenthidae. 



8. Phytophaga, with the families Cerambycidae, Chrysomelidae, 



Bruchidae (Brachinae, Anthribinae), Curculionidae. 



9. Heteromera, with the families Tenebrionidse, Melandryidae 



(Melandryinae, Mordellinae, Rhipiphorinae, Stylopinae), and'La- 

 griidae (Lagriinse, Pythinae, Pyrochroinae, Meloinae, CEdemerinee, 

 and Anthicinae). 



10. Lamellicornia, with the families Lucanidaa (Lucaninse, Tro- 

 ginae) and Scarabaeidee (Scarabaeinae, Melolonthinae, Dynastinge). 



II. The Staphyliniformia include the families Silphidse (Silphina?, 



Clambinae, Sphaeriinae, Hydroscaphinae, Scaphidiinae, Corylo- 

 phinae, Trichopteryginae, Scydmaeninae), Histeridae, Stapliylinidae, 

 Pselaphidae, Platypsyllidae, and Pulicidae (Fleas). 



III. The Carabiformia include the families Physodidae, Carabida?, 



Paussidae, Dytiscidae (Omophroninse, Haliplinae, Amphizointe, 

 Rygrobiinae, Hydroporinae, Dytiscinae). 



There is a great deal that is good in this classification, but the 

 chief objections appear to be against the following points : — The 

 removal of the Brenthidae from the Rhynchophora to the 

 Glavicorns; the inclusion of the Puliciilb or Pleas among the 

 Coleoptera ; the position of Hypoceplialus among the jNitidu- 

 LiDvE, and (though less to be objected to) of Omophron among the 

 Dytiscidae. The Amphizoinje, moreover, are not DytiscibvE, 

 and should be considered a separate family. Several of these 



