C 7 ) 



III. A Hijlory of Three Species of Cafftda. By the Rev, William Kirly 



of Barham, A. L. S. 



Read fanuary 7, 1 794. 



CONVINCED of the truth of Mr. Marfham's obfervation *, 

 that in order to form a complete fyftem of entomology, we 

 ought to be acquainted with the hiftory of the different ftates of 

 each particular infeft ; I take the liberty of offering to the Linnean 

 Society an account of three fpecies of CaJJida, which I have had an 

 opportunity of tracing through all their various metamorphofes. 



The infedts of the coleopterous clafs in general are little known in 

 their previous flates, on account of the difficulty of difcovering their 

 natural fituation, and proper food. Yet this difficulty does not ex- 

 tend equally to all of them ; for thofe of which I am about to give 

 the hiftory, require lefs attention to nourifh, and bring to their perfect 

 ftate, than mofl even of the lepidopterous infe£ls : there is no danger 

 of their efcaping, even though they be not confined in a box.. AH 

 that the breeder has to do, is to put a piece of the plant upon which 

 he difcovers them into a phial of water, taking care to fupply them 

 with frefh food when neceffary, until he finds that they are pre- 

 paring to change into the pupa ftate, which he may eafily know by 

 their ceafing to feed, and by their cafling off the covering of excre- 



* See his ingenious obfervations- upon the P. B. Lubriciptda oiLirtneut, Linn. Tranf. 

 »ol. i. p. 68. 



ment: 



