LEPTIS LEUZEA. 



also, a small and very agile species, found in casks of 

 sii^ur, is also a member of this group, and is termed 

 L. saccharina. (See the Transactions of the Ento- 

 mological Society, Vol. I., for a Monograph upon 

 the Thysamira of Ireland, by 11. Templeton, Esq.) 



LEPTIS (Fabric-ins). A genus of dipterous insects, 

 belonging to the family lihagionida;, having the an- 

 tennae as long as the head, with the basal joint 

 elongated aud cylindrical ; the second short, the 

 third conic.il, the palpi turned upwards ; the posterior 

 tarsi thicker than those of the anterior legs, and the 

 abdomen linear. The type is the Miisca veronica of 

 Linnaeus, an insect having somewhat the appearance 

 of a moderate sized Tipuln. Its larva is cylindric 

 and fleshy, with the anterior part of the body much 

 attenuated. It resides in sandy places on the conti- 

 nent, where it forms a burrow, at the bottom of which 

 it hides itself, sometimes concealing itself entirely, and 

 sometimes partially, and seizes upon any insect which 

 may happen to fall into the hole, round which it 

 writhes itself like a serpent ; it then pierces its skin 

 with the sharp setae with which its mouth is furnished, 

 sucks its juices, and then by a sudden motion of the 

 body, similar to that made by the larva of the cheese- 

 fly, throws it aside. The pupa is enclosed in a cocoon 

 of sand. 



LEPTOSPERMUM (Forster). An interesting 



genus of evergreen shrubs from New South Wale?. 



The flowers are icosandrious, and belong to Myr- 



Generic character : calyx turbinate, limb rive 



cleft; petals five, inserted into the calys ; stamens 



fixed in the throat of the calyx, shorter than the 



petals, style filiform, stigma headed ; capsule four or 



five celled, cells full of seeds. The Leptospermitma 



are grown in sandy loam and moor-earth, and iu- 



ed by cut lilies of thft young shoots. 



LEPTUR1D/E. A family of coleopterous insects, 

 belonging to the section Tctramcra, and sub-section 

 Longimriies, having the eyes entire and rounded, or 

 but very slightly emarginatr, with the antenna; in- 

 serted in front of them, or at least at the outer 

 extremity of the emargination, and never within the 

 eye itself, as in the Ccrrnnhycida:; the head is always 

 bent downwards, and prolonged behind the eyes into 

 a sort of neck. The antennas are moderately long, 

 and the abdomen is gradually attenuated towards the 

 tip. This is a family of considerable extent, com- 

 prising many handsome species, forming the Linnasan 

 genus Lcptura. They are found in the spring and 

 summer months in (lowers, especially those of the 

 whitethorn and umbillifera ; they fly well in the sun- 

 shine. Their larva; are found in rotten trees, upon 

 the bark of which the perfect insects are also often 

 to be seen. There are thirteen geneia in this family 

 described by M. Serville in his Monograph con- 

 tained in the Annales de la Societe Entomologique 

 de France for 1835, including lihagium, Toxotus, 

 Pachyta, Gramoptera (Leptferuorata, ruficornis, &c.). 

 Lcptura and Slrnngn/ia (Z/. calcarata vcl c/ougata), 

 examples of all of which are found in this country. 

 The typical genus Leptura is distinguished by the 

 elongated body, attenuated from the base to the 

 extremity of the elytra; the antenna) eleven jointed ; 

 the thorax unarmed at the sides, and broader behind 

 than before. The type of the genus is the L. mela- 

 nura, Linnanis, a common British species. 



LESPEDEZA (Michaux). A genus of perennial 

 plants, chiefly herbaceous, belonging to Diadclpkia, 

 and natural order Legnmhicsii: Many of the species 



are hardy ; some of them receive the protection of 

 the greenhouse, are increased by cuttings, and suc- 

 ceed with the ordinary management. 



LKSSERTIA (De Candolle). A genus of under- 

 shrubs, herbs, and annuals, natives of the Cape of 

 Good Hope. They belong to Legum'masce. They 

 are grown in loam and peat- earth, and may be raised 

 from cuttings or seeds, which are sometimes produced 

 in abundance. 



LESTEVA (Latreille ; ANTHOPHAGUS, Graven- 

 horst). A genus of coleopterous insects, belonging 

 the family Stcphyhnidce, and remarkable for the re- 

 semblance which some of the species exhibit to the 

 smaller Carabidae with truncated elytra, whence the 

 the type of this genus has been named L. caraboidex. 

 They are of small size, and are found under stones 

 and moss in damp places. 



LETHRUS (Se.opoli). A genus of coleopterous 

 insects belonging to the LameHicornes, and family 

 Geotrupidce, having the terminal joints of the antennae 

 formed into a reversed conical mass ; the head is 

 very large, as well as the mandibles, which in tho 

 males are armed with a strong curved tooth the 

 abdomen is very short and semicircular. These in- 

 sects, of which there are several species, the type 

 being the L. cephaloics, Fabricius, inhabit Hungary 

 and Western Russia, where, according to Count Gotth. 

 Fischer deWaldheim, this species is very injurious, de- 

 vouring the tender shoots -of various plants, and 

 especially of the vines, which it bites off with its 

 powerful jaws, and drags backwards into its narrow 

 burrow in which it resides together with its partner. 

 During the season of coupling, a strange male will 

 sometimes make his appearance at the mouth of the 

 hole, when a violent battle ensues, which ends only 

 with the death or flight of the intruder. The cele"- 

 brated Russian entomologist above mentioned, has 

 described several new species of this curious genus in 

 his splendid Entomographia Russia, vol. 1, part xiii. 



LETTUCE. See LACTUCA. 



LEUCADENDRON (Linnaeus). A numerous 

 genus of evergreen shrubs, natives of the south 

 of Africa. Class and order Dicec'm Tetrandrin, and 

 natural order Protcacca:, These plants require to be 

 placed in a compost of light loam and moor-earth, 

 with the pots well drained, as they are liable to suffer 

 if overwatered. 



LEUCOJUM (Linnaeus). A genus of bulbous 

 perennials, chiefly European. They belong to the 

 sixth class of Linnaeus, and to the natural order 

 Amaryllidece. The English name of these plants is 

 snow-flake, from the flowers of one of the species 

 appearing early, shaped like those of the snow-drop. 

 Another species, a native of England, flowers in the 

 beginning of summer, and is then very conspicuous. 

 Increased by offsets. 



LEUCOSPIS (Fabricius). A genus of hymeno- 

 pterous insects, belonging to the family C/ialddidcr, 

 of which they constitute the largest species, and are 

 distinguished by the singular position of the ovipositor, 

 which, when unemployed, is laid along 1 the back, 

 sometimes extending as far as the scutellum. These 

 are handsome insects, varied with yellow and black, 

 and inhabit the middle and south parts of Europe, 

 America, Asia, &c. There are about thirty species 

 known. 



LEUZEA (De Candolle;. A genus of herba- 

 ceous plants, chiefly European. They belong to 

 Composites, and were called Centavrea by Linnaeus. 



