COLEOPTERA. — PHVTOl'IIAGA. 371 



These insects are generally of small, or but moderate size, and 

 amongst them are to be found some of the most splendid of the beetle 

 tribes ; whence, indeed, the name of the typical genus Chrysomela, or 

 golden beetles. They are found in their larva and imago states on 

 l^lants, upon the leaves and tender portions of which they feed ; occa- 

 sionally (as in the turnip-fly, Haltica, and asparagus beetle, Crioceris 

 Asparagi) causing great injury to tlie farmer and horticulturist. The 

 larvae being external feeders, are furnished with legs formed for 

 walking, and are of various colours. Some undergo their transform- 

 ation to the pupa state attached to the leaves or stems of plants, 

 whilst otliers descend into the ground. 



In the Linnaean system these insects were comprised in the genera 

 Cassida, Hispa, and Chrysomela, with the exception of a few placed 

 in the genus Leptura. Latreille in his earlier works considered this 

 subsection as forming a single family, to which he gave the name of 

 Chrysomelinac, and which he divided into two groups, the Criocerides 

 and Chrysomelides, which in his later works he has regarded as 

 respectively entitled to an equal rank with the Rhyncophora and 

 Longicornes, under the names of Eupoda and Cyclica. As, however, 

 the insects composing the Eupoda cannot be considered as exhibiting 

 a type of form equally distinct with those of Curculio, Cerambyx, 

 and Chrysomela, and as they are evidently more nearly related to 

 Chrysomela than to Cerambyx, I have not hesitated in adopting the 

 earlier views of Latreille, adopting the new name Phytophaga for the 

 two groups collectively, rather than employ for them jointly the 

 restrictive name either of Eupoda or Cyclica. 



Respecting the affinities of these insects, it is to be observed that 

 Donacia is very nearly allied to the Lepturida?, with which, indeed, its 

 species were associated by Linnaeus and Geoffrey. The species of 

 Crioceris are very nearly allied to Chrysomela and Cassida both in 

 the larvae and perfect states ; indeed, there is a striking identity 

 betv/een some species of Crioceris and Cassida in the habits of the 

 larvae, as subsequently noticed. On the other hand, Chrysomela is 

 allied to Coccinella in the structure of the larvae, although in the 

 aphidivorous habits of the latter, and in some other important re- 

 spects, these two groups are widely apart. INIr. Kirby further 

 regards the Phytophaga as allied to the weevils, by means of such 

 genera as Anthribus, Chlamys, &c. 



