LEAP-CHAl-'ERS. 83 



The tollowing three species may be tiikeu as leiueseiitatives of the 

 ^viiiis: Trox porcatm^ Say, nearly half an inch lonjj, the elytra with 

 elevateil. interrupted lines, and numerous transverse punctures on the 

 interstitial sj)aees; T. tert'cstris, not (piite (juarter of an inch in leujjth, 

 the elytra with raised obtuse lines on which are little fascicles of short 

 hairs ; and 7'. striaddus, only threetwentietlis of an inch in length, with 

 regular groo\es between the ridges on the elytra. 



Tkibe VIII. 



LEAF-CIIAFEKS. 

 Herhiroid lameUicornia. Thalerophaga, MacLeay. 



The Clialers, or leaf-eating lamellicorns, are easily distinguished from 

 the Dung beetles, by the tii)S of their abdomens being always um'overe«l 

 by the wing-eases, by their usually more slender legs, and by their 

 lighter an<l often variegated colors. As we have seen above that the 

 Cirindelidie represent the lion and tiger amongst the higher animals, 

 so the present tribe may be regarded as representatives of the ruinimi- 

 ting (]uadrui>eds, being, as a general rule, the most bulky of coleopte- 

 rous insects, and exclusively vegetable feeders. 



They generally feed, when in the beetle state, upon the leaves of trees, 

 but many of the smaller species devour the petals and pollen of llowers. 

 The An<flinU;e are particularly destructive to the foliage of the grai»e- 

 vine. 



The larv;e are found partly in rotten wood and partly in the earth, 

 wiiere they feed upon the roots of grasses and other plants. The com- 

 mon n'h'tU (jruh furnishes a familiar example. 



Like the preceding tribe, they comprise four families, which can usu- 

 ally be distinguished by their general aspect and coloration, but which 

 exhibit but few distinctive organic characters. 



They may be tabulated thus : 

 A. Head or thorax, or both, almost always armed with one or two 

 horns or tubercles ; upper lip concealed beneath the clypeus, 

 which is not separated from the front by a suture. Size gen- 

 erally large, or very large ; color often black or blackish : 



J)YNASTID.E. 



A A. Head and thorax unarmed; labrum often partially visible in 

 front of the clypeus, which is separated from the front by a 

 transverse suture, (except Cetoniidie.) Size various 3 color 

 never black, (except in a few Cetouiidie.) 



