wing-covers

There are beetles belonging to closely allied species, or even to the same identical species, which have either full-sized and perfect wings, or mere rudiments of membrane, which not rarely lie under wing-covers firmly soldered together; and in these cases it is impossible to doubt, that the rudiments represent wings.

Darwin and the vermiform appendix - The Panda's Thumb 2009

You see there are seven black spots on its red wing-covers, three on each, arranged triangularly, and one at the top of the wing-covers, just at the point where they meet.

Country Walks of a Naturalist with His Children W. Houghton

Late in July or early in August it transforms in the ground near the base of the hill, changing into a white pupa, about fifteen-hundredths of an inch long and two-thirds that width, looking somewhat like an adult beetle, but with the wings and wing-covers rudimentary, and with the legs closely drawn up against the body.

Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56: No. 3, January 19, 1884. A Weekly Journal for the Farm, Orchard and Fireside Various

Do you see how briskly he rubs his legs against the wing-covers?

Country Walks of a Naturalist with His Children W. Houghton

The head, thorax, and legs are shining black; the elytra, or wing-covers, are olive-green, dotted with black spots, and are much wrinkled.

Scientific American, Volume XLIII., No. 25, December 18, 1880 A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science, Mechanics, Chemistry, and Manufactures. Various

You see it is well adapted for the kind of life the beetle leads; look at that long oar-shaped pair of feet, what a broad fringe of hairs besets them, how admirably fitted they are for swimming; the wing-covers are smooth and glossy, without any furrows; by this I know the specimen to be a male, for the wing-covers of the female are furrowed.

Country Walks of a Naturalist with His Children W. Houghton

Bishops had scarlet and black, as this insect has on its wing-covers.

Notes and Queries, Number 09, December 29, 1849 Various

The wings are large and strong, and situated, as in all the beetle tribe, under the horny wing-covers.

Country Walks of a Naturalist with His Children W. Houghton

And when the big, brown bumping beetles, with hard, shiny wing-covers on their backs and soft, fuzzy velvet underneath, flew out at dusk, twenty or thirty of them, as likely as not, would make a luncheon for Mis the clown.

Bird Stories Robert J. [Illustrator] Sim

Coarse, round punctures are thickly sprinkled over the upper surface of the thorax and wing-covers.

The Pecan and its Culture 1920