THE EUPODA, OR PHYTOPHAGA. 217 



C. cereatis, striped longitudinally and alternately with 

 purple, green, gold, and reddish copper, is perhaps the 

 most handsome. It is found at the roots of wild thyme 

 on Snowdon. The commonest species is C.polita, abun- 

 dant in grassy places ; it is shining, blue-green, with red- 

 dish-brown elytra, round and convex ; and it is from the 

 general rotundity and convexity of the members of this 

 section that the name of Cyclica has been applied to it. 



Of the allied species, Lina populi and tremulae deserve 

 notice : both are blue-black with brown wing-cases, and 

 not uncommon on poplar and aspen; the former being 

 distinguished by its larger size, and a small black spot 

 at the apex of its elytra. They are gregarious in their 

 habits ; L. tremula being often found in great numbers 

 and in all its stages on the same tree. The larvse, which 

 are tuberculated, whitish, and adorned with straight 

 rows of dark-brown spots (somewhat resembling those 

 of the common seven-spot Lady-bird), have a custom of 

 distilling from their mouth, tubercles, and apparently 

 all other available orifices, a peculiar and strong-smelling 

 yellow fluid ; also emitted, though in a less quantity, by 

 the perfect insect. 



This fluid, similar, but more intense, in odour to that 

 secreted by many Lady-birds, has been stated to be a 

 specific for toothache, if rubbed into the gums; the 

 remedy, however, seems at once so unlikely and nauseous, 

 that nothing but the recollection of chloroform (origi- 

 nally obtained from an acid produced by ants) restrains 

 one from dismissing the idea as absurd. 



The pupffi of these insects are also spotted, and at- 

 tached to leaves and twigs by their tails; having the 

 " mortal coil " of their larva-dom " shuffled off," but still 

 clinging to their extremity. 



