190 f January. 



covering, composed of semi-digested substance, extracting from its materials 

 wherewithal to construct a second envelope or case (usually termed ' fouiTeau ' by 

 French Entomologists), destined to protect those parts of its body which remain 

 least capable of resisting injury. This case increases with the growth of the larvae, 

 like the shell of the MoUusca, and ends by bursting the envelope, which falls off 

 little by little, only leaving some slight traces at its lower extremity. The larva 

 then presents almost the appearance of that of the Plvryganidm, as it drags along 

 a kind of sack, containing all that part of its body which is not homy. It is most 

 often found in ants' nests, where it devours the little twigs or particles of dried 

 leaves, heaped together in large quantities in those places. Here, again, we find 

 occasion to admire the ways of Providence. If the soft parts remained uncovered 

 the ants would soon make a meal of them ; but out of the case issue only a flat 

 head, hke a little square-cut disc (in Clythra the margins are rounded), as hard as 

 iron, horny and pointed legs, and a first segment solid enough to afibrd no hold for 

 the jaws of the ants ; and at the least attack the larva can draw itself in, leaving 

 only the ends of its legs and the flat surface of its head exposed. 



" If any accident fi-om without happen to make a breach in the case, it is soon 

 re-constructed. The sack swells at its hinder part, in order to allow a recurving 

 of the abdomen, as in the larvae of Lucanus, Melolontha, &c. ; the anal orifice is 

 thus brought near the opening, between the legs, which seize the matters secreted 

 and make use of them as swallows do of their nests. It is then only that the larvae 

 eat green leaves [I presume with the idea of obtaining a more hurried action of 

 the intestinal canal. — E. C. R.] ; for under all other circumstances they wait until 

 the leaves are dry, — or, at least, prefer them in that state. As in snails, the 

 covering is not attached to the animal, and can be separated from it without the 

 larva receiving any injury. It becomes elongate little by Httle, through the suc- 

 cessive additions made by the larva to its mouth, and in proportion as the larva 

 increases in size. 



" Wlien the time arrives for the larva to undergo its change to pupa, it with- 

 draws its head completely into the little mouth of the case, which it carefully 

 closes up ; but, since in its perfect state it could not obtain an exit at this orifice, 

 it takes the precaution to turn itself round to face the largest end. Arrived at the 

 limit of its metamorphosis, the perfect insect cuts, as cleanly as with a saw, a sort 

 of cap in the bottom of the case, which lifts up like a valve." 



M. Tappes also makes the somewhat unintelligible remark, that the striae of 

 the elytra seem almost always equal in number to the joints of the antennae. — Id. 



Note on Lehia (Lam/prias) chrysocephala, MotscliulsTcy. — This insect, referred to 

 at p. 217 of the last part of the current vol. of "L'Abeille," seems to point strongly 

 to the constantly small race of L. chlorocephala noticed by me as found at Shirley, 

 unaccompanied by the type form. Motschulsky's insect (which occurs in the 

 meridional part of France) is of the colour and build of L. chlorocephala, but 

 smaller, with the elytra a third shorter, and the thorax cordate and less transverse. 

 These characters are tolerably evident in my insects above referred to. The elytra 

 are described as having the interstices with a series of fine scattered punctures : 

 but this character is equally found in chlorocephala. — Id. 



