300 PHYTOPHAGA. [ Timarcha, 
to Europe and Northern Africa ; a few, however, have been described 
from Northern Asia and North America; they are, as a rule, large and 
conspicuous insects, of a dull black or dark metallic bronze colour ; they 
are characterized by having the mentum large and emarginate, the 
anterior coxal cavities closed behind, the metasternum very short, and 
the femora projecting considerably beyond the margin of the elytra; the 
thorax is truncate at base and margined, and the elytra are subglobose 
and convex; the legs are rather long and the tarsi are broad and have 
the first three joints strongly dilated in the males, which are smaller 
than the females. TZ. tenebricosa, F. (levigata, Duft.), is the largest of 
our indigenous Phytophaga; it is very slow in its movements, and has 
the power of ejecting a brilliant red fluid from its mouth when alarmed, 
from which peculiarity it has acquired the name of the “ Bloody-nosed 
beetle” ; its larva is described and figured by Westwood (Classification, 
vol. 1, p. 387-8, fig. 48, 2); itis thick, fleshy, and wrinkled, of a green- 
ish-black colour, with the extremity of the body and under-side dark 
brown or blood-coloured ; the body is narrowed in front and behind, and 
four or five of the terminal segments of the abdomen are furnished 
beneath with small raised tubercles serving as prolegs, and there is also 
one at the anal extremity ; the head has six ocelli on each side, and the 
legs are of moderate size; when alarmed the larva rolls itself up, some- 
what after the manner of a woodlouse. 
The larve of Timarcha appear closely to resemble those of Chrysomela, and to 
differ chiefly in having eight pairs of stigmata instead of nine, as is the case in the 
latter genus. 
Of the sixty-four European species only two are found in Britain ; 
these may be distinguished as follows :— 
I. Thorax dilated in middle and strongly contracted 
behind ; elytra finely punctured; size larger . . . T. TENEBRICOSA, F. 
(levigata, Duft.) 
II. Thorax not dilated in middle with sides slightly 
rounded and scarcely contracted at base; elytra 
coarsely punctured; sizesmaller . . . . . . . QT. vioLAcEonIGRA, De G. 
, (coriaria, Laich.) 
T. tenebricosa, |". (levigata, Duft.). A large and conspicuous 
species, broad oval, very convex, upper side dull black, usually with a 
very slight greenish or bluish reflection, under-side obscurely bluish or 
violet ; head, especially the clypeus, rather strongly punctured, antenne 
rather short and stout, with the first six joints metallic and strongly 
punctured ; thorax double as broad as long, dilated in middle, and 
strongly contracted behind, rather finely punctured ; elytra shallowly 
and finely punctured, with the punctures, especially in female, often 
united by engraved lines ; legs rather stout with the tarsi dilated. L. 
11-18 mm. 
Male smaller and more shining than the female with the tarsi more 
