68 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ornamentation displayed by so many of the free-feeding forms. A few 

 are case-bearers and occur either at large on their food-plants or in nests 

 of ants ; to this category belong Coscinoptera and Chlamys. The larva 

 of Chlamys plicata occurs commonly on grasses in the Lake Superior 

 district, carrying its little case about and protruding only the front part of 

 the body when feeding or crawling. When the inhabitant is ready to 

 pupate, the open end of the case is sealed to a blade of grass and the 

 transformations take place within. 



The economic importance of the group has been recognized by all 

 Entomologists, and certain species claim their share of our crops from 

 year to year in spite of the constant war waged against them. The 

 imported elm-leaf beetle, the Colorado potato-beetle, the corn-root worm, 

 and the strioed cucumber-beetle are only a few of the many injurious 

 Chrysomelidae which have to be fought each year in the regions which 

 they infest. 



Secondary sexual characters are to be found in the antennas, the 

 tarsi, the claws, and the ventral abdominal segments of many species, and 

 are often of great value in the separation of otherwise almost indis- 

 tinguishable forms, I'hese will be referred to in the proper places when 

 necessary for identification. 



On account of the great size of the family, it seems best to avoid a 

 long, complicated generic table by the adoption of the groups indicated 

 in the Leconte and Horn " Classification." Each tribe will be taken up 

 by itself and the genera contained in it separated by a table. A slight 

 modification of the tabular synopsis presented in the work above cited 

 may be used to advantage as follows : — 



A. Outline of body elliptical or nearly circular ; prothorax and elytra 

 with broad expanded margins, head concealed .... XI. Cassidini. 

 AA. Outline of body variable, prothorax and elytra without broad ex- 

 panded margins. Head usually plainly visible from above, 

 b. Front of head inflexed, mouth inferior, body wedge-shaped, 



broad and truncate behind X. Hispini. 



bb. Front of head not inflexed, mouth anterior. 



c. Last dorsal abdominal segment not exposed, middle ventral 

 segments not narrowed, 

 d. Prothorax usually margined. 



e. Antennte approximate at base ; front coxre conical 

 and prominent ... IX, Gahriicini. 



