Phyllodecta. | PHYTOPHAGA, 317 
North America; they are oblong, parallel-sided insects, of a bright 
metallic (usually blue or bronze) colour, with the antenne rather long 
and gradually thickened towards apex, the elytra with more or less 
regular punctured striz, and the shoulders moderately callose ; the tibiz 
are not produced into a tooth at apex, and the tarsi have the third joint 
broad and bifid, and the claws armed beneath with a sharp tooth ; the 
larva of P. vitelline somewhat resembles that of Melasoma populi ,; it is 
of a dirty yellow colour, with the head and legs and large spots, which 
cover the greater part of the body, dark brown ; the method in which 
these larve feed in regular rows upon leaves is figured by Westwood 
(Classification, 1. p. 387, fig. 48, 18); eight species belonging to the 
genus are found in Europe, of which three occur in britain; these may 
be distinguished as follows :— 
I. Punctured striz of elytra irregular, colour blue . . . P. vuLGaTissima, L, 
II. Punctured strie of elytra regular. 
i. Forehead broadly excavated; antenne longer; colour 
darkeblueh oe .y 0c) cuts! oy nth oe oc oe ster cuss t= 
ii. Forehead with a slight depression, not excavated ; 
antenne shorter; colour,asarule, bronze. . . . . P. VITELLIN®E, L. 
P. CAVIFRONS, Thoms. 
P. vulgatissima, L. (betule, L). Oblong, subparallel, rather 
depressed, of a metallic blue or greenish blue colour, shining, with the 
middle of the metasternum and the first abdominal segment brassy, often 
coppery; head rather thickly and finely punctured, clypeus broad, 
antenne slender; thorax broader than long, with the sides almost 
parallel, narrowed in front, diffusely punctured on disc, more closely at 
sides ; elytra evidently broader than thorax, with irregular punctured 
striz on disc, confusedly punctured at sides; legs moderately long, 
dark, more or less metallic. L. 33-5 mm. 
Male with the posterior tibie slightly curved, and the first joint of the 
tarsi strongly dilated, and a little broader than the third joint. 
On poplars, sallows, willows, &c. ; also under bark in winter ; commonand generally 
distributed throughout the greater part of the kingdom. 
P. cavifrons, Thoms. (Jaticollis, Suffr., teste Weise). More convex 
than the preceding, from which it may be at once known by the regular 
rows of punctures on the elytra, and the deeply hollowed forehead ; in 
general form and sculpture it more closely resembles P. vitelline, from 
which it may be separated by its deep blue colour, excavated forehead, 
longer and stouter antennae, longer and less transverse thorax, and the 
structure of the tarsi, which in the male have the first joint moderately 
dilated, much narrower than the third joint, and in the female have 
the first two joints small and narrow, and the third joint very broad. 
L. 83-45 mm. 
On Populus nigra and P. tremule ; also found beneath the bark in winter ; local ; 
Darenth Wood, Caterham, Mickleham, Dulwich, Esher, Aylsham ; Hastings; Burn- 
ham, Somerset ; Midland districts, generally distributed; Lincoln; Scotland, very 
rare, Moray district, “‘ Strathglass, Buchanan, White.”’ 
