COLEOPTERA. 125 



Crioceris, Geoff., Oliv. — Lema, Fab. — Chrysomela, Lin., 



Or Crioceres properly so called, are removed from the preceding by 

 this character : their posterior legs are similar to the others, or differ 

 from tliem but very slightly ; the antennae become somewhat and 

 gradually enlarged towards the extremity and are almost granose, 

 their joints not being mucli longer than they are wide. The eyes 

 ar^ prominent and emarginated. The posterior extremity of the 

 head forms a sort of neck behind these latter organs. 



These Insects live on the Liliacea?, Aspargi, &c., and, like those of 

 the preceding family, make a slight noise when siezed. Their larvae 

 feed on the same plants, to which they cling by means of their six 

 squamous feet. Their body is soft, short, and inflated ; their own 

 faeces, with which they cover their back, protect them from the action 

 of the sun and the changes of weather. In order that they may ac- 

 complish this, their arms are placed above. When about to become 

 nymphs they enter the ground. The 



C. merdigera ; Chrysomela merdigera, L.; Oliv , Col. VI, 94, 

 i, 8, is three lines in length, with the thorax and elytra of a 

 beautiful red. ' The thorax is strangulated on each side. The 

 elytra are marked with longitudinal lines of punctures. In all 

 Europe on the white Lily. 



M. Boudier, of Versailles, a zealous entomologist, to whom I 

 am indebted for several rare and curious species, has published, 

 in the Memoires de la Societe Linneenne de Paris, some ob- 

 servations on the C. brimnea — Lema brunnea, Fab. — which is 

 fulvous, with the antennae, pectus, and base of the abdomen 

 black. It is found together with its larva, on the Liliuvi con- 

 vallaria, 



C. axparagi ; Chrysomela asparagi, L, ; Oliv., lb, II, 28. 

 Bluish, with a red thorax, sometimes immaculate, and sometimes 

 with a blue and cordiform spot in its middle ; the elytra are yel- 

 lowish, with a blue band along the suture, which, being united 

 with three lateral spots of the same colour, forms a cross. 



The same plant is- devastated by another species — the C. 

 \2-punctata, L., — which is fulvous, with six black spots on each 

 elytron *. 



AucHENiA, Thunb. 



The Auchenise differ from the Crioceres, with which they were at 

 first confounded, by their entire eyes; by their palpi narrowed and 

 terminated in a point, and not obtuse ; by the last seven joints of their 

 antennae which are wider; and by their thorax, which is dilated near 

 the middle of each side into an angle or tooth f. 



Sometimes the mandibles are truncated; the palpi are terminated 

 by a strongly inflated truncated joint, with a little annular prolonga- 



* See Olivier and Fabricius, but without including the leaping species, fome of 

 whicli belong to the subgenus Petauristes, and the others to the last one of this 

 family, or Megascelis. 



f Crioce)-is subsjnnosa, Teh. 



