390 INSECTA. 



a great number of species. In some the superior surface of the body, and even 

 a portion of the antennae, are densely spinous, 



CASSIDA, Linnaeus, Fabricius. 



The CassidiE are distinguished from the Hispa; by the following characters- 

 The body is orbicular or almost ovoid, and in some few nearly square. The 

 thorax, more or less semicircular, or forming the segment of a circle, entirely 

 conceals and covers the head, or encloses it in an anterior emargination. The 

 elytra, frequently elevated in the region of the scutellum, project beyond the 

 body. The mandibles present four teeth at least, and the exterior maxillary 

 lobe is at least as long as the inner one. 



In the second tribe, or the CHBYSOMELIN^:, the antennae are remote, and 

 inserted before the eyes, or near their internal extremity. These insects never 

 leap. Those species in which we find the above-mentioned characters, form, 

 as in the earlier entomological works of Fabricius, two genera. The first, or 



CRYPTOCEPHALUS, 



Is composed of Chrysomelinse, in which the head is plunged vertically into an 

 arched or hood-like thorax, in such a manner that the body, most commonly 

 in the form of a short cylinder, or almost ovoid and narrowed anteriorly, when 

 viewed from above, appears as if truncated at that extremity and destitute of a 

 head. The antennae of some are more or less serrated or pectinated ; those of 

 others are long and filiform. The last joint of the palpi is always ovoid. 



CHRYSOMELA. 



The body is usually ovoid or nearly oval, and the head salient, projecting, or 

 simply inclined ; where the antenna are simple, about half the length of the 

 body, and most frequently granose and insensibly enlarged towards the extre- 

 mity. 



C. populi, Lin. Length from five to six lines; oval, oblong, and blue; ely- 

 tra fulvous or red, and the inner angle of their extremity marked with a black 

 dot. On the willow and poplar ; its larva lives on the same trees, and fre- 

 quently in society. 



In the third and last tribe of the Cyclica, that of the GALERUCIT*:, we find 

 antenna always at least as long as the half of the body, of equal thickness 

 throughout, or insensibly thicker towards their extremity, inserted between the 

 eyes, at but little distance from the mouth, and usually approximated at base, 

 and near a small longitudinal carina. The maxillary palpi, thickest about the 

 middle, terminate in two joints, in the form of a cone, but opposed or united 

 at base, the last short, and either truncated or obtuse or pointed. The body is 

 sometimes ovoid or oval, and sometimes almost hemispherical. In several, and 

 particularly the smaller species, the posterior thighs are very stout, which 

 enables them to leap. 



This tribe is composed of the genus 



