COLEOPTERA. MELOLONTH ID7E. 217 



and which are subsequently gnawed in pieces by means of the broad 

 square molary portion of the internal base of the mandibles {Jiy. 22. .0.) ; 

 the maxillae are terminated by a horny truncated piece, which also ex« 

 hibits several (generally five or six) acute teeth {Jiy. 22. 6.) ; the 

 clypeus is large and separated by a strong transverse suture, which 

 extends between the front of the eyes. The antenna; are 9- or 

 10-jointcd, with the club large and composed of a variable number of 

 joints (three to seven) according to the genus and sex, the plates 

 being also considerably elongated in the males {^fiy. 22. 8. antenna; of 

 Mel. vulgaris $ . 22. 9. ditto, J .). The mentum is subquadrate or 

 subovate-truncate, narrowed at the tip, of which the anterior margin is 

 emarginate {Jiff. 22. 7.). This organ arises at the base from a trans- 

 verse, narrowed piece (Jrff. 22. 2. x), which is part of the skull, al- 

 though apparently articulated, and is the front part of the jugulum 

 {Jiff. 22. 2. 0.), it is the piece prebasilaire of Strauss ; the head is sub- 

 quadrate, the body ovate and subconvex (Jiff. 22.1. Rhisotrogus sol- 

 stitialis, the common July Dor) ; the elytra do not conceal the ex- 

 tremity of the abdomen; the scutellum is distinct; the metasternum 

 very rarely porrected and the legs slender, with the tarsal claws often of 

 irregular size and variously toothed (Jiff. 22. 10. claws of Mel. Fullo.). 



Mr. MacLeay considers the Serica brunnea as the type of this 

 family, probably regarding the more developed structure of the an- 

 tennas of the common Melolontha as aberrant from the ordinary 

 3-jointed club of the majoi'ity of the family. From the importance of 

 the genus Melolontha in the economy of nature, and their large size, 

 I should be induced to consider them as the real types. 



The Melolonthidae are rarely adorned with those brilliant metallic 

 tints which ornament the Rutelidse and Cetoniida; ; their bodies, on the 

 contrary, are generally clothed with a slight pubescence, or layer of 

 minute scales. 



The terms MrjXcii'Br] or MqXoXdi/Oi] or MiyXoXorf^?/ appear to have been 

 applied by the ancients to Scaraba^i which flew about apple-trees ; and 

 Eustathius describes them as larger than a wasp; hence, as theMelolon- 

 thsc of entomologists seldom frequent flowers, Mr. MacLeay conjectures 

 that the name has been erroneously applied to these insects, and ought 

 jirobably to have been given to the Trichius fasciatus, or some of the 

 Ami)hicomaD, belonging to the family Glaphyridae. As, however, the 

 spinning of Cockchafers (a species of cruelty known to every school- 

 boy) is also mentioned by Aristophanes in his Comedy oj the Clouds, 



