COLEOPTERA. 12S 



These Insects are peculiar to South America * The 

 Sagra, Fah., 



Or Sagrse properly so called, originally designated by the name of 

 AlurncB, are exclusively confined to certain parts of southern Africa, 

 Ceylon, and China. Their palpi are terminated by an ovoid joint, 

 the divisions of the ligula are short, the thorax is cylindrical, the an- 

 tennae are almost filiform, longer than the head and thorax, with their 

 inferior joints shorter than the others, and the four anterior tibia 

 tolerably thick, but slightly elongated, angular and straight. These 

 Insects have a uniform but very brilliant colour, green, golden, or a 

 fulgid-red, with a slight mixture of violet f , 



In the others, the palpi are thicker at the extremity, the eyes are 

 entire, and the thighs of nearly equal thickness. The body is almost 

 always elongated, narrow, slightly depressed, or but little elevated, 

 and the thorax narrowed posteriorly, and almost always cordiform. 



Orsodacna, Lat., Oliv. — Crioceris, Fab., 



Where the antennae are filiform and composed of obconical joints, 

 where the last joint of the palpi is merely a little larger than the pre- 

 ceding ones, and nearly forms a truncated ovoid, and where the tho- 

 rax is at least as long as it is wide \. 



PsAMMCEcus, Boudier. — Anthicus, Fab. — Latridius, Dej. 



AVhere the antennae, composed of short and crowded joints, gra- 

 dually enlarge, and where the maxillary palpi are abruptly terminated 

 by a stout triangular club. The thorax is wider than it is long. The 

 body is more depressed than in the preceding species, the antennae are 

 shorter, and the eyes less prominent §. 



The second tribe, or that of the Criocerides, is distinguished from 

 the preceding by the mandibles, the extremity of Avhich is truncated, 

 or presents two or three teeth, and by the ligula, which is entire, or 

 but slightly emarginated. 



It is composed of the genus 



Croicerus, Geoff. — Chrysomela, Lin., 



Which we will divide as follows : — 



Sometimes the mandibles taper to a point, and present two or three 

 teeth at that extremity. The palpi are filiform. The antennae, of an 

 ordinary thickness, are almost granose in some, and in others ;.re 

 mostly composed of obconical joints, or such as are evidently thicker 

 at their superior extremity. 



* Besides Fahricius, Latreille, Olivier, German, and Dalman, see the excellent 

 Monograph of this genus, published by M. Kliig, and the observation on this genus 

 by Count Miinnerheim, who, to the figures of certain species, has added some very 

 good ones of the paits of the mouth. 



t See Fab., and Oliv., V, 90. 



X See Lat., Gener. Crust, et Insect. Ill, p. 45, and I, xi, 5 ; Oliv., Col. VI, 98, 

 bis, and Gyll., Insect. Suec. Ill, 642. 



§ Anthicus 2-punctatus, Fab. ; I place this genus here •vsith some hesitation. 



k2 



