THE I/EAF T5KKTI,i:S. 



1229 



dui-iuii' lili\ but i-;i])i<ll\- riidiiiLV :\\'\vv hciii'j,' ki'pl in the cahiuct a 

 sliort time. 



'Pile lai'x;!' arc (tval. llallcticl, pfickly i:>-nil)s, deeding upon the; 

 siu'fact' (if l(M\('s. itftcn ill conipan}' with the adults. Thoy occur 

 mostly iip(;ii llic iii(ifiiinii-i;l(ir\ . wild sweet potato Ji'id otlicr inem- 

 l)cis of the ( 'oiiNdhiiiiis laiiiilx-. and soiiictiiih's (h» iiiiich damage to 

 tlie roliai;c ol' the ciiltiNatrd plaiils. Kroiii tlic rear end of the body 

 tliey often cxtnidc a loiii; forked process wliicli is lient forwartl over 

 tlie hack and to wliich llicy attach pieces ol' their east-oii' skins and 

 excrement, thus t'onuinii- a sort of parasol to protect themselves from 

 ])irds and other natural enemi(»s. Of tlie six li'enera recognized from 

 the rnited Slate-;, four are represented in Indiana. 



KEY To l.Mtl.V.NA GE^•KRA Ol' CASSIDIM. 



(I. Thorax vouiulod in rrent, head concealed. 



?). 'I'horn.x with the exlreiue innr.iiiu thiikeiied; funn oval, convex; 

 hu-ijer. 11 nnn. LXXVII. Physonota. 



hb. Thorax with simple llalteiied margins; smaller, not over 7 mm. 

 c. Anti'Uiue short, not readiiiii; beyond the base of thorax. 



LXXVIIT. Cassida. 

 re. Aiilt'iiii.T Idiiiicr. cxleudim;- bcyoiid the l);is(" nf thorax. 



J .X X 1 X. ( 'or rocYCLA. 



a<i. Tlierax less rounded in rnnil. bisiniinte at liase; head partially exposed; 



larger, !)-ll nun. LXXX. Chelymorpha. 



LXXVII. Physonota rxili. ^SrA. (Or., "swollen ; hack.") 



One large ohlong-oval, strongly convex species belongs here. 



2276 (7000). Physonota i'i\iPUNcT.\TA Say, Journ. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 

 Ill, 1824, 434 ; ibid. II, 200. 



Oblong-oval, convex. Pale greenish-yellow; Ihurax 

 with three black dots, the middle one obloug; apical halt 

 of antennje, meso- and metasterna. and abdominal seg- 

 ments in part, black. Thorax smooth, the hind angles 

 rounded. P^lytra fine, sparsely and irregularly punctate. 

 Length 0-11.5 mm. (Fig. 548.) 



Lake and Vigo counties; scarce, .huu^ o-.Vn- 

 gust ]4. Occurs on tiow(>rs of Crataf/iis. on the 

 horse-mint (Mrniarthi) and the rosin weed (Sili)Ji- 

 inm), both larva' and adults feeding on the latte;-. 



I'ig. 548. X l\ 

 (.\fter Knobel.) 



LXXVTTl. rvssiDA Linn. 17:^r>. (XL., •'lielmct.") 



The memiiers of this genus are known as "helmet-beetles," the 

 word Cassida lieing a Tiatin term for helmet oi- shield. They are 

 oval in onlline and liax'e the head wliollx' concealed, th(> antenna' 



