328 THE PHYLLOPHAGA. 



legs on the thoracic segments^ besides in most in- 

 stances a variable number (12 to 16) of soft prolegs 

 attached to the abdominal segments^ of which two 

 are always placed quite at the extremity of the body. 

 The total number of feet therefore (except in those 

 larvae which have only the six thoracic legs) varies 

 between eighteen and twenty- two. 



The larvae when hatched generally quit the little 

 cavities in which the eggs were protected^ and pro- 

 ceed to feed upon the leaves of the plant which they 

 inhabit^ — hence the name of Phyllophaga is given 

 to the tribe. When disturbed, or taken in the hand, 

 they generally roll themselves into a spiral form_, and 

 often extend themselves again suddenly, so as to give 

 a sort of little leap; and the larvae of some of the 

 larger species under the same circumstances discharge 

 a fluid from pores situated on the sides of the body 

 above the stigmata, sometimes spurting it to a con- 

 siderable distance. When full-grown, most of them, 

 like the larva of Nematus GrossularicBj descend into 

 the ground, and there spinning a cocoon, pass into 

 the pupa state ; others, however, such as the Emphytus 

 pavidus, a black species, with the legs and a band 

 occupying three segments of the abdomen red, which 

 is found upon roses in the autumn, burrow down into 

 the pith of the plant, and there undergo their trans- 

 formation. The pupse of some large species of the 

 tribe belonging to the genera Cimbeoe and Trichiosoma, 

 in which the antennse are strongly clavate, are enve- 

 loped in a strong cocoon, which is usually attached to 

 the branches of the trees on which the larvae have 

 been feeding ; and it is remarkable that in these cases 

 the larva remains unchanged in the cocoon for a long 

 period, and it is only shortly before the final trans- 



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