INSECTA MADERENSIA. 437 



and the hinder margin of its prothorax less so. M. Lacordau-e refers, also, to 

 the shape of the scuteUa of the two groups as an ahnost unfailing character, and 

 one of primary importance, — that of Lema heing directly truncated at its apex, 

 whilst that of Crioceris is more roimded and produced (sometimes indeed even 

 acute, in which case it is entirely triangular). 



332. Crioceris Asparagi. 



C. parallelo-oblonga nitida obscure cyaneo-virescens, prothorace rufo-fernigineo, in disco maculis 

 duabus obscurioribus notato, elytris ad latera et apicem ferrugineis, singulo maculis tribus (una 

 sc. basali longitudinali et duabus traflsversis limbo laterali connexis) pallido-testaceis ornato, 

 tibiis basi ferrugineis. 



Long. Corp. lin. 2|. 



Chrysomela Aspa/ragi, Linn. Fna Suec. 567 (1761). 

 Crioceris Asparagi, Eab. Ent. Syst. i. 2. 10 (1792). 



, Steph. ///. Brit. Ent. iv. 282 (1831). 



•, Lacordaire, Mon. des Fhytopli. i. 590 (1845) . 



Habitat prope urbem Funchalensem Maderse in Asparagi ramis (quos larva destruit), non infrequens ; 

 forsan ex Europ4 Uluc introducta. 



C. parallel- oblong, but rather wider than the last insect, shining, and obscure blackish- or bluish- 

 green. Prothorax rufo-ferruginous, with two darker dorsal patches ; larger, and more closely 

 and coarsely punctui'ed, than in the Lema melanopa ; also less convex, and not suddenly con- 

 stricted, behind. Elytra coarsely punctate-striated, the punctures being larger than in that 

 species, and somewhat vanishing towards the outer margins, — which last, with the apex, are 

 ferruginous ; each with three patches (the fii'st of which is rather small, basal, and longitudinal, 

 whilst the other two are transverse, and confluent with the outer ferruginous margin) pale 

 testaceous. Antenna and tegs bluish-black, — the tibia having an obscure ferruginous ring at 

 their base. 



Also a very common Em-opean insect, occurring, like the Lema melanopa, in 

 every part except the extreme north. It is exclusively, I believe, confined to the 

 Asparagus, — on the maturer shoots of which the larva subsists. It has without 

 doubt been introduced into the Madeira Islands, being found only, so far as I 

 have hitherto observed, in gardens near Punchal, — in Avhich position it has been 

 also captured by Professor Heer. The Madeiran specimens dilfer from the 

 ordinary ones in having the two darker patches on the disk of their prothorax 

 generally more developed. Although somewhat partial in its tUstribution, it is a 

 species which is excessively abundant at times in oiu- own country, making its 

 appearance throughout certain districts where the Asparagus is more especially 

 cultivated in the utmost profusion, — so much so indeed as frequently to caifse 

 considerable damage to the crops. Such, however, being its habits, its liabUity 

 to importation in the present instance from higher latitudes is at once rendered 

 intelligible. 



