552 



INSECTA. 



The first of these genera, — 



Cryptocephalus, — 

 f s composed of Chrysomelinas in which the head is inserted vertically into a swollen thorax like a hood, so that 

 the body, generally in the form of a short cylinder, or nearly ovoid, and narrowed in front, appears from above to 

 be truncated and deprived of a head. The antennae in some are more or less serrated or pectinated ; in others 

 they are long and filiform. The last joint of the palpi is always ovoid. 



In some the antennas are short, pectinated, or serrated after the fourth or fifth joint. 



Clythra, Fabr., has the outer margin of the elytra straight, or with but a slight notch ; the posterior angles of the 

 thorax are rounded and not arched, and the anterior are not inflexed beneath. The body is always in form of a 

 short cylinder; the antennas are always free; the eyes entire, or scarcely emarginate. The males have the head 

 generally large, with the mandibles large and porrected, and the fore-legs long. C. quadripunctata, Linn., [a 

 common British species]. Its larva lives in a coriaceous kind of tube, which it bears about with it. 



The following differ in having the elytra much dilated externally at the base, with a deep notch. The posterior 

 angles of the thorax are acute and arched, and the anterior are greatly inflexed. The eyes are often notched. 

 These are peculiar to the New World. 



Chlamys, Knoch., has the body short, cylindric, or cubic, and the surface of the body is very unequal. [See the 

 monographs of Klug and Kollar.] 



Lamprosoma, Kirby, has the body globular [and very smooth]. 



In others the antennae are evidently longer than the head and thorax, simple, filiform, or thickened to the tips. 



Cryptocephalus, Geoffr.,has the body cylindric; the thorax as broad as the abdomen, and the antennae and palpi 

 of equal thickness throughout. C. sericea, Linn, [a common British species. The genus is extremely numerous]. 



Choragus, Kirby, has the antennae terminated by three large joints. C. Sheppardi, [a small British species. 

 This genus is more allied to Anthribus and Bruc/ius.] 



Euryope, Dalni. (having the mandibles very strong, and the second joint of the antenna? longer than the 

 third), and 



Eumolpus, Klug (with the mandibles of ordinary size, and the second joint of the antennae shorter than the third), 

 differ in having the body narrowed in front and nearly ovoid. 



Eumolpus Vitis, a small continental species, does much injury to the vine. This genus passes, by means of 

 Colaspis, in a very gradual manner, to the genus 



Chrysomela, — 

 In which the body is generally ovoid or oval ; the head exposed, advanced, or slightly inclining forwards ; the 

 antennas simple, about half the length of the body, and often moniliform and slightly thickened to the tips. 



Some, having the body ovoid, or oval, and winged, and the palpi pointed at the tips, approach Eumolpus, and 

 are distinguished from all the following by the filiform antennas, longer than half the body. 



Colaspis, Fabr., has not the mesosternum pointed. [A very numerous exotic genus.] 



Podontia, Dalm., has the mesosternum produced into a short conical point. [Exotic insects.] 



In the following Chrysomelinas of the same tribe the antennae are shorter, and composed of reversed-conical 

 joints, or more or less moniliform, and thickened to the tips ; the false joint, or appendage, at the end of the last, 

 is very short, and scarcely distinct. 



Some have the maxillary palpi thick, and truncated at the tip. 



Amongst these some have the two terminal joints of the palpi united into a truncated mass, the last shorter 

 than the preceding, and either transverse or in the form of a short truncated cone. 



Phyllocharis, Dalm., has the mesosternum not pointed. [Exotic species], peculiar to New Holland and Java. 



Doryphora, IUig., has the mesosternum pointed like a horn. Composed of South American species. 



Cyrtonus, Dalm., composed of two Spanish species, has no mesosternal point, but the joints of the antennas are 

 longer, the body more globose, and the thorax more elevated transversely. 



Apamcea, Leach, is allied to Doryphora, but has the antennae of the male 8-jointed, the last two forming a club. 



[Trochalonota, Westw., is also globose. Type, Chrysomela badia, Germ. South America.] 



Paropsis, Oliv. (Notoclea, Marsh.), is peculiar to New Holland, and is distinct by having the last joint of the 

 maxillary palpi hatchet-shaped. [See the monograph on this genus, published by Marsham in the Transactions of 

 the Linnaean Society of London.] 



In the two following subgenera the same joint, quite distinct from the preceding, and as large or larger than it, 

 is more or less semi-ovoid. These insects are widely distributed over the Old World, and particularly Europe. 



Timarcha, Meg., is composed of apterous species, having the body gibbose ; the antennae moniliform, especially 

 towards the base ; the elytra united together, and the tarsi very dilated, especially in the males. These insects 

 are found on the ground in woods, upon turf, and low herbs at the sides of foot-paths, craw ling slowly, and emit- 

 ting a yellow fluid from the joints of their feet when disturbed. They especially inhabit the south of Europe, and 

 the northern countries of Africa. Amongst those which have the thorax narrowed behind, and nearly of a 

 crescent-shape, and which are the largest of the tribe, is the (Tenebrio) Itcvigatus, Linn, [a common British species], 

 from four to eight lines long ; black, with the thorax and elytra smooth, finely punctured, and the antenna; and 

 feet violet-coloured. Its larva is green or violet-coloured, very swollen, with the extremity yellow. It is found 

 on the Lady's bed-straw. It undergoes its transformations in the earth. 



Chrysomela proper, comprises those species of Olivier which are furnished with wings, and in which the maxil- 

 lary palpi, according to the subdivisions established above, have the last joint as large as or larger than the pre- 

 ceding, of an ovoid-truncate or conic-reversed form. Such is 



