255 



LEAF-EATING BEETLES. 



Family Chrysomelidae. 



(Plate 32, II.) 



Usually small elongate beetles with filiform 

 (thread-like) antennae and often with beautiful 

 metallic tints, or brown colour with black mark- 

 higs. .The foot (Plate 32, Fig. 11) of these beetles 

 is curious. The third joint is deeply lobed and 

 the tiny fourth joint is lodged between these lobes 

 I of the third joint, so that one might easily think 

 I that the feet had only four joints instead of five. 

 The larva is usually a leaf eater. 



Type Paropsis. (Plate 32, Fig. 7.) This beetle 

 differs from most chrysomelids in being rounded 

 and vertically thick ; the head, prothorax, and abdo- 

 { men fit together very closely. Except that it is 

 usually larger and is not so brilliantly marked, it 

 resembles in general shape the ladybird beetles. 

 There is a great variety in the markings and gen- 

 eral colour of Paropsis, and some of them are very 

 pretty, the general colour being buff to dark brown, 

 with or without markings. As the Paropsis walks 

 the deeply lobed third joint which rests on the 

 leaf reminds one of a pair of slippers on the feet 

 of the beetle, giving it rather a comical aspect. The 

 tarsi are' flat on the under side. The eggs are de- 

 posited in a very curious manner. They are ar- 



