FAMILIES BKUCHIDAE AND CHRYSOMELIDAE 253 



The beetle issues from the pods, which persist on the tree for a long 

 time, in the hot weather about March and April in the Bombay Presidency, 

 and evidently lays its eg^s on or in the flowers or younj^ forming pods in 

 April and perhaps on through May. Only one grub is found within each 

 seed. The pods mature about October, and the insect perhaps passes the 

 cold-weather season as a pupa within the hollowed-out seed. 



The siris-tree is very common all over India and Burma, and it is 

 therefore necessar}' to ascertain whether this insect attacks the seed in this 

 way all over the country. 



Tribolium confusum (p. 238) is probably predaceous upon this 

 bruchid. 



Family CHRYSOMELIDAE. 



( Leaf -cat i Hi:; Beetles.) 



A very large family of brightly coloured, often metallic-looking beetles of 

 moderate size, whose principal diet consists of the green parts of trees, 

 shrubs, and plants. In addition to the damage done by the grubs the 

 beetles themselves feed on leaves, often causing a considerable amount of 

 defoliation to trees. 



The family contains numerous forest species, and much remains to be 

 learnt on the subject of the habits of the grubs. 



To some extent the beetles resemble bruchids, but they have not 



the greatly thickened body and thickened hind legs 



Beetle. of the latter family. The antennae are longer and are 



placed on the head away from the eyes. The head 



and thorax are comparatively narrow, the elytra much broader and varying 



considerably in shape. The head may be bent vertically downwards and 



the ventral sutures of the abdomen curved, but the members of the family 



vary in this respect, a number of divisions being based upon the differences. 



The larva varies greatly in shape and appearance according to whether 



it lives free on plants, mining in leaves or in roots or 



Larva. down in the soil at the roots, or again in cases or 



coverings made of various materials. According to its 



method of feeding, therefore, the larva may be an elongate whitish grub or a 



flattish grub protected by a covering of excrement which often gives it a 



greyish appearance, at times resembling a lichen. 



The forest species known will be considered under the four divisions Eupoda, Campto- 

 sornes, Cyclica^ and Crypioslomes, the third of which is by far the largest division of the 

 family. 

 Classification. Eupoda. — The head constricted between the eyes and produced 



anteriorly ; prothorax much narrower at base than elytra. 

 Cafiiptosomcs. — Ventral abdominal sutures curved. 



Cyclica. — Prothorax not much narrower at base than elytra, acute laterally. 

 Cryplostomes. — Head bent downwards, antennae inserted close together on head. 



