The first sub-tribe, G codephaga, includes the predaceous Ground-beetles, which are cha racterized by the elegance of their form and alacrity of their movements. They have six projecting palpi,* their mandibles are strong, curved, and pointed, and their legs slender and formed for running, (fig. 329.) Some of Order I. COLEOPTERA.
Wings four, anterior ones (elytra) hard, co riaccous, covering the abdomen, divided by a longitudinal suture, not employed in flight; posterior ones usually jointed, with their apex acute. Metamorphosis complete.
The Beetles constitute by far the most nu merous and varied tribes in any order, and differ as much in habits and size as in general form. They include every variety of confor mation and bulk from the minute but rapa cious Staphylinithe, to the gigantic phytopha gous Dynastithe and Cetoniide. So numerous arc the species that, according to Burmeister,* there are 28,000 in the Berlin collection alone, while the whole that is known is supposed to exceed 36,000. In Mr. Stephens's arrange ment they have been divided into families which amount to more than one-third of the whole class, and these families are grouped into six sections. The first section includes A • A• this division, the Cicindelida, are extremely voracious, and most of them feed upon dead animal substances, although some of the liar pa tide are known to be vegetable feeders. The second sub-tribe, Hydradephaga, includes the predaceous water-beetles, and the third, Philhydrida, a variety of families allied to each other by similarity in general structure, by inhabiting water or damp situations, and by subsisting upon decaying animal and vegetable substances, fungi, &c. Amongst the aquatic species is one of the largest British beetles, Hydrikis piceus (fig. 330).
and voracious. The fourth sub-tribe, Necro phaga, includes the carrion and burying-beetles (fig. 331), so called from their habit of bury ing small dead animals in the ground, by digging away the earth from beneath them, and thus allowing them to sink down, and then depositing their eggs in the bodies. The genera of this division differ considerably from each other, but may be characterized as in general possessing abruptly clavated antenna?, an oval or oblong body, with the elytra often truncated, and the legs strong and formed for running.
The second section is also divided into four tribes, which include insects of different habits and conformation.
In the first tribe, Helocera, the insects are of an oval shape, and have the antenna: geni culated, and terminated by an oval club.
Their legs are flattened, broad, and formed for burrowing, and are terminated by very minute tarsi. Their bodies are exceedingly hard ; they feed upon decaying animal matter, and when touched simulate the appearance of death.
The second tribe, are a very natural group. They are distinguished by the club of the antennm being divided into plates or lamellm. Their legs are thick, strong, and deeply notched, and the tarsi of the anterior pair in some families are very minute. They are either stercoraceous or vegetable feeders, subsisting, like the common dung-beetle, G co trupes stercorarius. (fig. 332), upon decom All the water-beetles are characterized by their four posterior legs being formed peculiarly for swimming ; they are ciliated along the tarsal joints, the last of which is furnished with a very minute claw. The insects of the third sub-tribe, the predaceous water-beetles, Dyti cities, are distinguished from those of the second by the latter having long and slender instead of clavated antenna?, and by their possessing six instead of only four palpi. The males of both sub-tribes have one or more joints of their anterior tarsi (fig. 330, A.) very much dilated, by means of which they attach themselves strongly to the females. Their larva: are active - posing vegetable substances, or like the chaffer beetles, Illelolonthidx, upon the foliage of shrubs or trees, or like the Dynastitixt (fig. 333) upon the sap that flows from the wounded bark or roots.
The third tribe, ?Jacrosterni, WeSrw. in cludes a family of insects, Elateridx, (fig. 334), or springing-beetles, which are commonly known in their state of larva, as the wire-worm, and are often exceedingly injurious to meadows and cornfields. In some counties many acres of meadow-land have occasionally been de stroyed by these insects attacking the roots of the grass, which then quickly perishes.• They are characterized in their perfect state by having an elongated body, with the head sunk deeply into a notch in the prothorax ; by their fan-shaped or serrated antenna•, and by a long spine or pro cess directed backwards from the pro-sternum or under-surface of the prothorax, and received into a groove in the meso-sternum. By means of this spine they are enabled, on bending the body and then suddenly retracting it, to spring to a considerable distance. From this act they have derived their name. Some species of the family are remarkable for shining brilliantly at night, and are the noted fire-flies of the West Indies.