THE BEETLES 



(Acrocinus longimanus} is one of the most remarkable, being distinguished, not 

 only by its curiously variegated colors, but also by the extraordinary length of the 

 front legs in the male. 



The Brushidce are a small but widely-spread family of little beetles which are 



found chiefly on legumin- 

 ous plants. The larvae 



live in the seeds, eating 



up all the internal parts 



and changing to pupae 



within the outer shell. 



These beetles were at one 



time classed with the 



weevils, but are now 



generally recognized as 



being more nearly allied 



to the next family. 



They are illustrated on Strangalia armata and larva. 



p. 2963, where Fig. i is the (Natural size.) 



pea bruchus {Bruchus 



pisi); Fig. 2, the bean bruchus {P. rufimanus)\ 



and Fig. 3, B. granarius, and larva; all of them 



being enlarged. 



The Chrysomelidce, more commonly known as 



the Phytophaga though this name is equally 



applicable to many other beetles all live upon 



plants, feeding chiefly upon the foliage, while 



i. MUSK BEETLE- 2. Spondyhs buprestoides. r 



(Natural size.) some also attack the flowers. They are almost 



as numerous as the weevils, and in their own 



way quite as destructive to vegetation. The family is divided into four sections. 

 The Eupoda include those forms which 

 most resemble the Longicorns. Many 

 of the beetles belonging to this section 

 have thickened hind-legs, but instead 

 of being active jumpers, as might be 

 suspected, they are really very slow 

 and awkward in their movements. In 

 the males of the genus Sagra, the 

 hind-legs are enormously developed, 

 the species of this genus being for that 

 reason sometimes known as kangaroo 

 beetles. The Donacince live upon 

 aquatic plants of various kinds; they 

 have a bright metallic coloration, which 



in many species is veiled by a delicate covering of silky hairs, and their elytra are 

 marked with rows of deep punctures. The larvae feed under water upon the roots 



Toxotus meridtanus, male and female. 

 (Natural size.) 



