94 



THE yOUNG NATUEALIST. 



yard beetle (Blaps), and the meal-worm 

 beetle (Tenebrio), being among the dusky 

 nocturnal species, whilst the Cardinal 

 beetles {Pyrochroce) are among the brightest 

 and sun-loving. The Oil beetles {Meloe) 

 also belong to this group. 



Suborder X. Rhyncophera — or Weevils — 

 are all characterized by the head being 

 developed anteriorly into a snout or 

 "rostrum." The antennae are generally 

 "elbowed," that is, the first joint is very 

 much elongated, whilst the second is 

 inserted obliquely at the end of it so as to 

 form an angle or elbow : in all the other 

 species the terminal joints of the antennae 

 form a club. The tarsi are four-jointed, 

 the third joint being bilobed, the fourth 

 springing from the notch in the third. This 

 is a very extensive group, its members 

 being all vegetable feeders, and conse- 

 quently to be found in the neighbourhood 

 of plants. 



Sub-order XI. Longicornes are easily dis- 

 tinguished from all other beetles by the 

 length of the antennae, in the Scotch 

 Timberman {A. cedilis) for example, they 

 are four or five times the length of the 

 body in the male. The tarsi are like those 

 of the Sub-order X. This group is poorly 

 represented in England, most of the 

 species being rare ; as the larva feed on 

 trees the perfect insects are generally 

 found in woods and on the flowers of the 

 Umbelliferos, to which they seem very 

 partial. 



Sub-order XII. Eupoda. A group, consist- 

 ing of more or less convex insects — often 

 capable of leaping — which have the feet 

 like those of the two preceding Sub-orders, 

 the antennae filiform or slightly thickened 

 towards the tip. The head is often hidden 

 by the thorax. The Chrysomelas belong 

 to this group, as also does the " potato- 

 bug" {Doryphom decemlmeata) , which 

 created such a scare recently. 



Sub-order XIII. Fseudo-trimera. A small 

 group comprising the lady-birds (coccinella) 

 and allied species, characterized by hav- 

 ing the tarsi apparently only three-jointed 

 and having the antennae distinctly clubbed, 

 whence they are often classified among 

 the Clavicomia. 



For the convenience of young Coleop- 

 terists, I have constructed the following 

 table of Sub-orders : — 



A. Antennae filiform. 



a. Tarsi, 5-jointed. 



1 Legs formed for running - 



Geodephaga. 



2 Do. swimming - 



Hydradephaga. 



3 Elytra very short - Brachelytra 



4 Pro-sternum furnished with 



a spine - - . Sternoxi. 



5 Bodies generally soft and 



Elytra leathery - Malacodermi 



b. Tarsi 4-jointed. 



1 Antennae very long - Longicornes. 



2 ,, often slightly thick- 

 ened at apex - - Eupoda. 



c. Anterior tarsi, 5 posterior pairs 



4-jointed - - Heteromera. 



B. Antenna clubbed. 



a. Club composed of flat plates 



Lamellicornes. 



b. Club compact. 



1 Palpi longer than antennae 



Palpicornes. 



2 Tarsi apparently 3-jointed - 



Pseudo-trimera 



3 Head prolonged into a snout 



Rhyncophora. 



4 Head not forming a snout - 



Necrophaga. 



Exceptions to the above rules are : — in 

 Gyvinus [Hydradephaga), the antennas are 

 clubbed. Many Brachelytra have the 

 tarsi only four-jointed. Some of the Malo- 

 codermi have the tarsi four-jointed and the 

 antennas clubbed. 



