54 



INTRODUCTION. 



Family 2. CAKABID.E. 



Bead usually, but not always, narrower than the prothorax ; 

 clypeus not extending laterally in front of the insertion of the 

 antenna} ; antenna 1 eleven-jointed ; maxilla? without an articulated 

 hook at the apex of the inner lobe (or laciniaj, outer lobe almost 

 always ivith two joints ; abdomen with the three anterior segments 

 connate, usually with six ventral segments visible in both sexes, some- 

 limes seven, very rarely eight ; anterior and middle coxce more or 

 less spherical ; wing venation more regular, areola oblonga present; 

 tarsi five-join ted, without exception. 



This is a very large and important family and contains, at 



present, some 13,000 to 14,000 

 species, which are perpetually 

 being added to. In temperate 

 countries they are almost 

 entirely terrestrial, being found 

 under stones or bark, in moss, 

 rotten wood, etc. and are very 

 seldom seen on the wing: in 

 fact in many species the wings 

 are rudimentary and the elytra 

 soldered together ; in tropical 

 countries, however, there are 

 many arboreal genera, which 

 freely make use of their wings. 

 Both in the larval and the 

 perfect state they are car- 

 nivorous and predaceous. A 

 few species have been found 

 eating the young seeds on 

 the heads of Umbel! if erte 

 or Composite*?, or feeding on 

 growing corn (Harpalus and 

 Fig. 24.— Carahus cashmirensis. Zabrus), and Harpalus rufi- 



cornis has been recorded as 

 doing extensive damage to strawberries. 



The larva) of the Carabid^e are, as a rule, easily recognisable ; 

 they are, for the most part, elongate and very active, and may be 

 chiefly known by the fact that the tarsi end in two claws, by their 

 exserted strong and sharp calliper-like mandibles, and by the pair 

 of cerci and the anal appendage at the end of the abdomen ; these 

 latter being very variable. Several of these larvae will be found 

 beautifully figured by Schiodte in his classical work, "De 

 Metamorphosi Eleutheratorum Observations " (Part iii). 



