the. c(jfj-crm^ and early stages of some Cassididx. 1:3 



that when carried over the back the colour harmonizes 

 with the black. Generally they are carried out straight 

 behind, and when the insect is annoyed it sharply flicks 

 them over its back and head. 



The ecdysis of this species is complete and the old skin 

 is not retained on the ninth abdominal spikes ; neither is 

 the excrement retained. 



In the pupa the pronotum is greatly enlarged and the 

 thoracic spikes disappear. The lirst five abdominal spikes 

 become thicker and flatter. The remaining spikes are 

 greatly reduced in size and even the ninth pair are quite 

 small. The last larval skin is retained on the end of the 

 abdomen, and with the chitinous skin of the ninth ab- 

 dominal spikes lies over the back. 



This form is highly exceptional in the larval state. The 

 great development of the robust anal callipers (fig. 24), 

 though these are not used for the purposes they are put 

 to in Asindomorpha and in Cassida, is extremely peculiar. 

 It should be noticed that these callipers are comparatively 

 as largely developed in the young larva (fig. 24«) as in the 

 adult. Their robustness in the newly-hatched form is a 

 sti'iking character of this species. In the pupa the last 

 larval skin is retained at the base of the callipers, not upon 

 them. Both the callipers and these appurtenances drop 

 off before the imago emerges. This larva is a quite 

 isolated form amongst the Cassidid larvse at present known, 

 and a careful study of it would be of great interest. 



G. Cassida muirana, n. sp. 



PI. V, fig. 256". 



Parva, parum convexa, liaud nitida, pallide testacea ; antennis 

 articulis ultimis qiiatuor nigris ; elytris late nigricantibus fortitei* 

 punctatis. 



Long 4 mm. Lat. S^-Si mm. 



Thorax with very little 2:)nnctuation, the punctures appearing 

 merely as very minute spots of a browni^^h colour, the lateral angles 

 distinct and not rounded though very obtuse, the scutellar lobe 

 broadly truncate. Elytra short and broad, h^^meral angles extending 

 only very slightly more outwards than the angles of the thorax ; the 

 punctuation coarse, deep and irregular though quite distinctly serial ; 

 the colour pallid, but very extensively marked with black in a some- 

 what variable manner ; the summit, always pallid ; the dark colour 

 in front extends for^^■ards and outwards to the margin, but leaves a 



