vi INTRODUCTION. 
The majority of the Cassidide are essentially tropical, and probably more than one 
half of the described species inhabit Tropical South America. Some genera, as 
Physonota, Coptocycla, Ctenochira, the eastern Aspidomorpha, &c., contain many 
species which are most brilliantly golden, silvery, or opalescent in life, the metallic 
colours fading immediately after death. These veritable living gems form a charac- 
teristic feature in tropical insect-life. | 
The Hispide are much more retired in their habits than the Cassidide, and the 
species, with some few exceptions, are by no means so numerous in individuals, many 
of them occurring as single specimens on leaves in the forest. Some remarks upon 
their habits are given by Baly. A large number of undescribed species exist. in 
collections. 
G. C. C. 
July 1894. 
