" GOLDEN APPLES. Z:)! 



pnnctured full of lioles, so that it really looks as if a piece of 

 violet foil bad been loosely rolled between the hands, and then 

 pinched into the rough semblance of a beetle. The generic 

 name Poropleura, which signifies " chaunelled-side," refers to 

 this extraordinary formation. In order to bring out all its 

 peculiar beauty, the insect must be taken into a strong light, 

 examined through a lens, and turned in every direction, so as 

 to allow the light to reveal the multitudinous knobs and grooves 

 and pits with which the surface is covered. To judge by the 

 long series of specimens in the British IMuseum, there is but 

 little variation, either in size or colour. 



Another species, Poroiphiira, cliimcera, is about the same size 

 and formed in much the same manner, but is green instead of 

 blue ; while Poropleura hacca, a smaller insect, looks as if made 

 of crimson foil, the edge of each fold and the top of each pro- 

 jection being vivid green. Poropleura citprea looks, as its name 

 implies, as if it were made of copper foil. All the insects are 

 natives of Brazil. 



It has been mentioned that the larvae of the Cryptocephalidai 

 inhabit moveable cases. In the British Museum are two of the 

 cases made by the larvae of Poropleura. They are conical and 

 curved, looking like very thick and blunt cows' horns, being 

 hollow at the larger end. Their texture is almost exactly like that 

 of very fine sponge, and the colour is either yellow or brown. 



The splendid family of the Chrysomelides thoroughly deserves 

 its name. The word signifies " golden apples," and is given to 

 the insects on account of their rounded, smooth, and polished 

 bodies, which are often decorated with golden green, crimson, 

 blue, and in fact almost every combination of colouring. None 

 of the species are large, by far the largest of our British Chry- 

 somelides being tho well-known Bloody-nose Beetle (Timarcha 

 tenehricosa), whose round, indigo bodies are so familar to all who 

 live in the country. They have a very wide geographical range, 

 and, indeed, wherever the climate permits insects to live at all, 

 some of the Chrysomelides may generally be found. 



The fine insect which is shown in the illustration on the next 



page is a native of Brazil. Its name is Doriipliora tessella/a, 



both of which words are very appropriate, both to the genus and 



the individual. The generic name Donjphora is Greek, and 



s 



