The Hind Body is made up of the two posterior thoracic segments and the abdomen, and is en tirely hidden from dorsal view in most beetles by the wing covers, but the parts can be well seen on the ventral surface. To the mesothorax are attached the middle pair of legs and the wing covers, while the metathorax supports the hindmost legs and the membranous flying wings, which, when not in use, are curiously folded out of harm's way under the elytra, which also shield the soft-skinned abdomen. The elytra are not instruments of flight, except that they may be useful as balancers, when held out at right angles. They shut close together upon the back when at rest, and in some forms are closely united by a suture along the median line; or, in the case of certain running beetles, where the wings may be greatly aborted or perhaps may even be altogether absent. particularly in the female sex, the elytra may even be wholly grown together into one shield. The elytra may he smooth and plainly colored, or may be highly polished, striated, pitted, and sculptured in a great variety of ways, as usually occurs in the terrestrial families. They may also bear spines, few or many, long and short, tubercles, and other prominences, or he clothed with pubescence or scattered hairs or scales or waxy secretions.
"The excessive brilliancy and sparkling colora tion of the diamond beetle of Brazil . . . is due to its being covered with scales; this . . . is common among the weevils (Curculionifhp) and not rare in a few other families 'of Coleop tern." Beetles exhibit almost every known shade of color (see Plate). and a few are iridescent, with beautiful metallic hues. A little beetle (Coptoeyela wtrichalrea), not uncommon on the wild morning-glory (Convolvulus), looks, when alive, like a flattened drop of the finest polished gold. The species of certain families resemble one another in coloration and figuration; the leaf beetles (Chrysomelhln) have, for the most part, brilliant coloration; the ladybirds (Coe einellithe) have, for prevailing colors, red, yel low, and black, mostly arranged in round or roundish spots" (Dimmock). As a general rule those whose lives are passed in the open sun light are more bright in color than those that habitually dwell in cavities, under stones or water, or in the dark.