BEETLES. 313 



Sometimes the auteniut' of species of this family are rendered quite ornamental by 

 dilation of tlie last three joints, as in the male of Phymaphora indchella. 



SuB-OkDEK II. — CkYPTOPEN'TAMEFvA. 



This group includes beetles which in reality have live tarsal joints, one of which 

 is abortive and hidden, giving them the appearance of having four-jointed tarsi. 



The Chkysomelid.e, the so-called leaf-eaters, includes over ten thousand described 

 sjjeeies, none of which reach a very large size They attain their highest dexelopment 

 in the tropics, although found in fair numljers in all jiarts of the world. They are 

 usually short-bodied, somewhat oval in outline, sometimes considerably flattened from 

 above, and often have their head more or less concealed in or beneath the forward end 

 of the prothorax. There are live abdominal segments; the trunk is generally covered 

 by the elytra and broader tlian the jirothorax, wliich latter is broader than the head. 

 Many of the species of Chi'ysonielida' are brilliantly colored, some with metallic or 

 iridescent lustre Tiie antenna' are rarely as long as the body, are eleven-jointed, as 

 a rule, but in some genera the number of joints is less. The mandibles are mostly 

 split at the tip. Tiie legs are seldom long, and consecjuently their walk is slow ; wings 

 fail ill a few cases, for example in Tbnarclia and in the females of Mttact/da. 



The eggs of Chrysomelidiv are lai<l in many cases u])ou the leaves or stems of 

 plants without being covered. They are usually elongated .and yellowish. The first 

 brood of larvaj are mostly hatched from eggs laid in spring by beetles that have 

 hibernated under bark and leaves. The larvK of Chrysomelidw vary exceedingly in 

 form and habits ; the head is small ; the body ordiiuirily lias thirteen segments, 

 of which the three thoracic ones are always pu'ovided with legs, and are general! v 

 smaller than the abdominal segments ; the prothorax of many species is distinguishable 

 l)y its form, color, and firm consistence of its dorsum; the terminal segment of the 

 abdomen in many species is prolonged below to foi-iii a retractile simple or bifid 

 process which assists in locomotion, an<l Iiehind which is the anus. Lacordaire 

 classified tlie larvie of Chrysomelida' in a way to indicate mucli concerning their habits 

 as well as tlieir structure ; the following is an abstract of his divisions. First, elongated, 

 whitish, sul)-cylindrical larva', living at the base of aijnatic ]dants (Donacki). Second, 

 larva' which cover themselves with their excrement. Short, oblong, brownish larvae, 

 without special device for carrying their excrement (Zema, Crioctris). Oval, broad, 

 spiny larva?, bearing their excrement upon a fork attached to the aiuil segment (Cas- 

 sida and its allies). ■. Third, miners. Elongated, sub-cylindrical larvse ta])ered at both 

 extremities {Ihdtlea aixl other flea-1)eetles). Oblong larva', attenuated at the two 

 ends, and having lateral warts (Ilis/iu, Odontota). Fourth, short, thick, coloi-ed 

 larvre, generally ])rovided with a false anal foot, often warty, and living exposed on 

 plants {Chri/soiiicld, Doryjihora, Gastrophysa). Fifth, elongated, sub-cylindrical, 

 warty, whitish larva', curved upon themselves at their ])osterior end. an.l living in 

 cases on plants or in ants' nests (Clythni, Cryptoctjj/uilns). 



The larva? move slowly, eat parts of jilants, usually the leaves, sometimes the roots, 

 and each species generally confines its attacks to one kind, or at most to one family 

 of plants, both larva and imago often eating the same plant. Xot only the larva but 

 often the imagos are in many sjiecies gregarious. Birds do very little to reduce the 

 number of these larva', many of which have disagreeable odors, while others are 

 protected by covering themselves with their own excrement, and still others are hidden 



