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CHAPTER XIII. 



EUPODA. 



WE now leave the Longicorn Beetles, and come to 

 another section, called the EUPODA, a name derived 

 from two Greek words, signifying * beautiful feet.' 

 By some authors the section is named Phytophaga, 

 this word being also of Greek origin, and signifying 

 * plant-eater.' They are all pretty insects, and some 

 of them, though not large, are singularly beautiful 

 both in form and colour. In the Beetles belonging 

 to this section the antennae are short and slender, and 

 have a short basal joint. The head is deeply sunk 

 into the thorax, the elytra cover the sides of the 

 abdomen, and the last joint but one of the tarsus has 

 two lobes. They are all vegetable-feeders, and, as 

 most of them are attached to certain plants, there is 

 little difficulty in finding them. 



Passing by the family of the Sagridae, of which we 

 have but four species in England, all belonging to 

 one genus, we begin \vith the Donaciadae. In this 

 family the antennae are longer than is usually the 

 case with the Eupoda, and they are set just in front 

 of the eyes. The head is large in front and narrowed 

 behind, and the first segment of the abdomen is very 



