138 TIMARCHA. GALERUC1D/E. CRIOCERIDJ-. 



preceding group, the exuviae of the larvae are found collected into 

 a mass, at the extremity of the body of the pupa ; and, in some 

 instances, the larva, before undergoing its transformation, attaches 

 itself to the leaf by a glutinous exudation. Of the apterous 

 group, the Timarcha is the principal genus ; and the T. Icevigad t 

 is a common British species, varying in length from half to thn.-fl 

 quarters of an inch, and frequenting woods, turf, and low herb- 

 age. It crawls slowly, and emits a reddish-yellow fluid from 

 the mouth and joints when disturbed ; from which circum 

 stance it is commonly known by the name of the Bloody-now 

 Beetle. The larvae bear a strong resemblance to the perfect 

 insect, both in appearance, sluggishness of movement, and general 

 habits ; when disturbed, they roll themselves up in the manner 

 of a Wood-louse. The family Galerucidas may also be men- 

 tioned as containing the genus Haltica ; which is composed of a 

 group of minute brightly-coloured Beetles, whose larvae devour 

 the leaves of cultivated vegetables, and occasionally commit 



great devastations by their num- 

 bers and voracity. One of them 

 occasionally attacks the turnip in 

 this country ; and from its great 

 leaping powers, may well be de- 

 signated the Turnip-flea. The 

 Turnip-fly belongs to quite a 

 FIG. 459-HALTicA NEMORUM.or TURNIP- different group. ( 753.) 



BEETLE; natural size and magnified. L vo 



720. The Criocerida depart 



somewhat from the general characters of the tribe, and approach 

 the Longicorns, in having the body elongated, and 

 the thorax narrower at the base than the elytra. 

 The Donacice, a small group of pretty little Beetles 

 belonging to this family, also differ from their near- 

 est allies in their habits in the larva state; their 

 larvae feeding in the interior of the stems of aquatic 

 plants, upon which the perfect insects may be found F ' 8 4 ^'^Jai. K " 

 abundantly during the summer. The other species 

 of the family feed upon leaves, in the same way as the other 

 Phytophaga, exhibiting an especial preference for Liliaceous 



