TETRAMEROUS PLANT-BEETLES. 169 



[Fig. 82.] or last segment of the abdomen is 



Al^\ ^^S>v\ (%, /'"N ^^^* vertically downwards, and left 

 w^% ^^^S^ V$ i tY uncovered by the elytra, furnishing 

 .^=7<i^^f^ ---/^^Pbm ^' ^^My*^ ^^ easily distinguishable character 

 ^ J "/f^ ^ ji%X^^ which is common to nearly all the 

 /U' ^\ ^^]i^^r\//^ ^^^^ species, except those specified in the 

 7^L^L~> i^^$ ^jjBy ^ty^-- following synopsis, and which is found 

 ru^i\ ' m"^^ ^^/it\ li\ ^^ noiiQ of the other sub-families. The 

 L^;^se>^iJ ^^^ / xxJ^, antennfe are rather distant at their in- 



cosciNOPTEEADOMiNicANA:-a, larva extracted sertion, somctimcs short and serrate, 



from case ; &, do. with case; c, beetle showing, , . .■■ . ., . i„_„j. ■i,„ii? qq 



punctures; d, same natural size; e, egg enlarged; out in tUe majority at leaSt nail dS 



/, head of larva, under side ; </, li'^ml of mal? 1„„ o- ass fhp hnrlv and VPrv slpndpr 

 beetle; A, jaw of same; i, eggs natural size; •/, lOUg dS tue UOUy, dUU Veiy bieuuei 



iffer KiVy." "' ^""^ "^ '''™' ' '' "''''''"" "^ ''"'""" and fiUform. The third joint of the 

 tarsi is always deeply bilobed. They are all small insects, rarely 

 attaining a quarter of an inch in length. All the larvje, we believe, so 

 far as known, live upon the surface of leaves, and have the curious 

 habit of enclosing themselves in compact cases, composed of their own 

 excrement, which they mould into shape by means of their mandibles. 

 The same habit of economizing the particles of excrement is practiced 

 by many of the small caterpillars belonging to the lepidopterous family 

 of Tineidse. The larvae carry their cases about with them, by protru- 

 ding the anterior part of their bodies through the open extremity. 

 When about to transform they attach their cases to the twigs, and close 

 the opening, thus making them answer the purpose of a cocoon, 



A. Antennae serrate or sub-clavate, and shorter than the head and thorax. 



B. Body elongate ; abdomen wholly covered by elytra ; antennie serrate Anomcea. 



B B. Body short, oval or subcylindric ; tip of abdomen exposed. 

 C. Body short, thick and tuberculous; antenna} small, sub-clavate and sub-serrate; legs closely 



contractile Chlamys. 



C C. Body not tuberculous ; antennse free ; legs not contractile. 

 D. Tip of abdomen scarcely exposed ; elytra smooth and shining, finely punctured; antennas 



sub-serrate i...BABiA. 



D D. Tip of abdomen fully exposed; elytra coarsely punctured or pubescent. 



E. Antennfp sub-serrate ; elytra densely punctured Saxinis. 



E E. Antennte serrate ; elytra irregularly punctured and pubescent ; mandibles large: 



COSCDJOPTBRA. 



A A. Antennae slender and filiform, and longer than the head and thorax Ckyptocephalus. 



The genus Anomcea, Lacord., has for its type the common A. laticlavia, 

 Forster, from a quarter to a third of an inch in length, and of a clay- 

 yellow color, with the suture and margin of the elytra black. The gene- 

 ric name means dissimilar, in allusion to the departure of the species 

 from the ordinary characters of the sub-family, but their place here is 

 determined by the serrate antennae, and more especially by the case- 

 bearing habit of their larvse. Another species very differently colored 

 is found in Texas. The species of Chlamys, Knoch, are of a dark brown 

 color, and when their limbs are contracted they resemble little rough 

 balls of inanimate matter. The most common species is the C. xiUcata, 

 —22 



