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CHAPTER XIX. 



THE EUPODA, OR PHYTOPHAGA. 



In this, the last section of the Pseudo-tetramerous 

 beetles, there is no rostrum; the antennae (which are 

 generally much shorter than the body) are straight, 

 never elbowed or clavate, but either filiform, moniliform, 

 or serrate, and with a short basal joint; the head is 

 sunk into the thorax as far as the eyes ; the parts of the 

 mouth are but little prominent, the mandibles being 

 short, triangular, and bifid or trifid at the apex, the 

 maxilloe formed of two lobes, of which the inner one is 

 unarmed, and the jsalpi terminated by a subulate or 

 short joint; the elytra cover the sides of the abdomen, 

 which is composed of five free ventral segments; the 

 femora are sometimes thickened ; the tibiae usually not 

 spurred at the apex, or very slightly so; and the third 

 joint of the tarsi bi-lobed. 



Its members are all essentially vegetable- feeders, very 

 rarely attaining any large size, mostly oval and convex 

 in shape; diurnal in habits, though (except the Halti- 

 cidce) slow in their movements ; and generally punctate- 

 striate, and of bright metallic hues. 



Our species are divided into nine families — the Sa- 

 grid(B, Donaciadce, Criocerida, C/ylhridce, Cryptocepha- 



p 2 



