COLEOPTERA, 437 



triturate hard bodies ; they all feed either on flowers, on leaves, or on 

 stercoraceous matter. Their larvae resemble each other much, even 

 those of families very widely differing from each other in the perfect 

 state. They are large, whitish worms, with diaphanous skins, scaly 

 heads, furnished with toothed mandibles, living in the ground or in 

 rotten wood. The pupse are fat and stumpy, and they already show 

 the features of the perfect insect. They make a chamber in which to 

 undergo their changes. They remain generally three years in the 

 larva state. The duration of the pupa is very short, as also is that of 

 the perfect insect. The differences of the sexes are often very marked 

 on the exterior, by protuberances, horns, &c., which constitute the 

 distinctive ornament of the males. 



In the group of Scarabaides we shall have to speak, above all, of 



s 



Fig. 423. Rose Beetle (Cetonia aurata\ 



the Cetoniada, the Chafers, and the Scarabai properly so called. 

 The family Cetoniadce is one of the most remarkable, on account of 

 the beauty of the insects which compose it and of the richness of 

 their metallic lustre, some being of great splendour, and others haying 

 velvety tints. The larvae live in wood in a state of decomposition ; 

 the perfect insects frequent flowers, and like the sun. 



This family contains a great number of species, the type of which 

 is the Rose Beetle {Cetonia aurata), of a beautiful green colour shot 

 with gold, with transverse whitish lines. The rose beetle frequents 

 roses especially, of which it eats the petals and the stamens. It is 

 the Golden Melolontha of Aristotle, who tells us that this unfortunate 

 insect shared with the cockchafer the privilege of amusing children. 

 The Cetonia flies by day and by night, making use of its inferior wings 



