90 THE ORDER OF COLEOPTERA. 



In addition to the characters given in the table of families, the Ceto- 

 niidfe are distinguished by being somewhat flattened, or nearly level 

 on the back, whilst the Lamellicorns generally are regularly convex ; 

 the elytra are a little narrower at the tip than at the base, and in the 

 Cetoniides proper the side pieces of the mesothorax are continued up- 

 wards, so as to form a little piece which is easily seen at the shoulders, 

 between the thorax and the elytra. The scutellum is longer than it is 

 broad, and almost always triangular and pointed, whilst in both the 

 Melolonthides and Eutelides it is as broad as it is long, and rounded 

 behind. The Cetoniides proper are one of the most splendid groups of 

 Coleopterous insects, and some of the tropical species vie In magnitude 

 with the Dynastides. Indeed the Goliathus gigantcus, of Lainark, from 

 the west coast of Africa, is probably the largest Coleopterous insect 

 known, being upwards of four inches in length, and two inches in 

 breadth. The Cetonije do not raise their elytra in flying like other bee- 

 tles, but spread their wings out laterally from beneath them, the elytra 

 being a little hollowed behind the shoulders, to facilitate the operation. 

 These are pre-eminently flower-beetles, and the mouth organs are fur- 

 nished with a brush of hairs with which they collect the pollen. Many 

 of the Cetonise differ in their habits from the majority of herbivorous 

 Lamellicorns, by being actively diurnal, being often seen feeding upon 

 pollen, and flying from flower to flower, in the heat of the day. We 

 have in N. America eighteen species of Cetoniides proper, and twenty 

 species belonging to the aberrant genera. 



Our species of Cetoniides form six genera, which are very unlike in 

 color and general apj)earance. 



A. Side pieces of tbe mesothorax visible above; thorax somewhat triangular or trapezoidal, aud 

 nearly as wide at base as the elytra. Cetoniides proper. 



B. Thorax with a lobe behiud representing aud covering the scutellum Gymnetis, 2 



B B. Scutellum distinct Euryomia, 14 



A A. Side pieces scarcely or not visible above j thorax roundish or square, and decidedly narrower 

 than the elytra. 

 C Body almost naked ; color black. 

 D. Thorax square, with prominent angles. Clypeua turned up in front. Size medium : 



CUEMASTOCHILUS, 13 



D D. Thorax roundish, with obtuse angles. Clypeus plane. Size very lai'go .- 



OSMOIIEKMA, 3 



C C. Body densely clothed with hairs or scales ; colors various. 



E. Hind coxa; contiguous. Body hairy ; colors variegated Triciiius 5 



E E. Hind cox;b wide apart. Body covered with minute scales ; ground color dark brown : 



Valgus, 3 



The Gymnetis nitida, Linn., (Fig. 41) is a beautiful velvetty-green bee- 

 tle, three-quarters of an inch long, the bodies margined all around with 

 orange-yellow, found throughout the Eastern States. Its larva has been 

 found by IVIr. Kiley feeding on strawberry roots, and when out of the 

 ground crawls with ease on its back. The Uuryomia fulgida, Fab., is a 

 glossy green species, two thirds of an inch long ; the elytra tinted with 



