140 INSECTA. 



fourth and following ones of the antennae, to the ninth inclusively, 

 are almost granose, and the two last in the form of a reversed tri- 

 angle*. 



FAMILY II. 



APHIDIPHAGI. 



This family consists mostly of Insects which have an almost hemis- 

 pherical body, and a very short, transversal, and almost lunate thorax. 

 Their antennae terminate in a compressed and obconical club, com- 

 posed by the three last joints, and are shorter than the thorax. The 

 last joint of the maxillary palpi is very large and securiform, and the 

 penultimate joint of the tarsi is profoundly bilobate. 



In the other Trimera of the same family, the joints of the tarsi are 

 simple, and the penultimate at least is slightly bifid, which, with some 

 other characters, distinguishes these Insects from the Fungicolte. 



Here, the body is more or less thick, and never much flattened in 

 the manner of a shield ; the thorax is transversal ; the head is ex- 

 posed ; the antennae consist of eleven distinct joints, the last of Avhich 

 form an obconical club. 



These Insects compose the genus 



COCCINELLA. 



LiTHOPHiLus, Frohl. 



Where the body is ovoid, the thorax strongly recurved laterally, 

 and narrowed posteriorly, and the penultimate joint of thelarsi, as 

 well as the preceding one, is very slightly bifid f . In 



CocciNELLA, Lin. Geoff. Fab. Oliv., 



Or Coccinella proper, the body is almost hemispherical, the thorax 

 very short, almost lunate, the margin not recurved or but very 

 slightly, and the penultimate joint of the tarsi profoundly bilobate. 



Various species of this genus are extremely common on the 

 trees and plants of our gardens, and frequently in our houses ; 

 they are known by the names of the Scarahees hemispheriques or 

 Tortues, Bete a Dieu, Vache a Dieu, Cow-bug, Lady-bug, S,'C. 

 The figure of these Insects, which is frequently hemispherical, 

 the number and arrangement of the spots on their elytra, that 

 form a sort of mosaick on a fulvous, yellow or black ground, to- 

 gether with the vivacity of their motions, render them easily dis- 

 tinguishable. They are among the first that appear in spring. 

 When seized, they fold their legs against their body, and like 



* See the above works, and the Insect. Spec. Nov. of Germar. 



f Lilhophilus nificoUis, Dahl, Catal., p. 44 ; Tritoma connatum, Fab. This genus 

 would, perhaps, be placed more naturally near Triplax, Fab. ; but in the antennae it 

 ftlso approaches the Coccinellae. Count Dejeaa arranges it among the Heteromera. 



