206 INSECTS AT nOME. 



the insect, and introducing a small quantity of glycerine into 

 the body and under the elytra. Tliis plan might be tried on 

 the present species, and certainly would do no harm even if it 

 did not succeed. The 'insect is a very rare one, but may bp 

 taken in the flowers of lilies. 



The larva of this species feeds on lily leaves, and is pos- 

 sessed of a habit which, though very remarkable, is found in 

 other Beetles belonging to the Eupoda. The digestive appa- 

 ratus is so formed, that the excrements, instead of being 

 dropped, as is the case with most animals, are pushed upon 

 the back, where they soon dry, and form a covering which 

 protects the larva equally against the sun and the rain. The 

 larva has the power of freeing itself at will from this very 

 singular covering. When full-fed, the larva descends to the 

 earth, into which it burrows, and there makes an oval cocoon 

 in which it undergoes its changes. 



The best known species of this genus is the Asparagus 

 Beetle {Grioceris asparagi), which feeds on the plant from 

 which it derives its name. This insect is much longer in the 

 body than the preceding species, though smaller in point of 

 size. It is very prettily coloured, the thorax being deep-red, 

 and the head and elytra shining-blue or green-black, the latter 

 being marked with reddish-yellow, so as to look as if they were 

 yellow on which a black cross had been laid. The larvae are 

 grey, soft-bodied creatures, and, together with the perfect 

 insect, can be found in any number upon the asparagus after it 

 has been allowed to run to seed, and wave its feathery branches 

 and pretty round fruit in the air. 



The family of the Cryptocephalidte is represented by Cryp- 

 tocephalus coi-yli, which is shown on Woodcut XXII. Fig. 4. 

 In this family, the head is so deeply sunk in the thorax that it 

 is quite invisible from above, a peculiarity which has earned 

 for the insects their name, which signifies ' hidden-head.' The 

 body is rather cylindrical and black, the antennae are slender, 

 and the eyes are kidney-shaped. The genus Cryptocephalus 

 has the antennae slender, and as long as the body. One of 

 these antennae is shown at Fig. b of the same illustration, the 

 labium at c, and the maxilla palpus at d. 



