BEETLES. 73 



into two, about the middle. It is found on flowers, not uncommonly, 

 in many parts of Europe. 



The species of this sub-family are found all over the world, 

 but appear to be specially numerous in the Mediterranean region. 

 Many of them are very similar to the species just noticed both in 

 shape and markings. 



SUB-FAMILY II. CUamydince. 



Antennae short, serrated, retractile; elytra not covering the tip 

 of the abdomen, and strongly lobed at the base ; legs of equal 

 length, retractile. 



An exotic family of small extent, by far the larger number of 

 which inhabit tropical America ; their elytra are usually covered 

 with deep punctures. 



Poropleura Bacca, Kirb., is a brilliant coppery-red species, with 

 dull green ridges on the elytra ; it is a native of Brazil. 



SUB-FAMILY III. Cryptocephalince. 



Antennae filiform, and rather long; elytra generally covering the 

 abdomen to the tip. 



The typical genus of this rather extensive sub-family is Crypto- 

 cephalus, Geoffr., one of the largest genera of the Phytophaga. 



The species are found on flowers, and are of small size, rarely 

 attaining a length of a quarter of an inch. They are of varied 

 colours : black, violet, blue, green, coppery, purple, red, or yellow ; 

 sometimes unicolourous, and sometimes with black or yellow spots. 

 They are found on various shrubs and flowers ; and I remember 

 once finding two specimens of a beautiful golden-green species 

 (C. Sericeus, Linn.) in a buttercup. C. Cicatricosus, Luc., an Algerian 

 species, is black, with red elytra spotted with blue-black. 



FAMILY III. Eumolpidce. 



Antennas long, not compressed, the terminal joints larger than 

 the others ; head slightly separated from the thorax ; thorax trans- 

 verse ; body oval. 



This family includes a large number of exotic species, many of 

 which are of considerable size and brilliant metallic colours. Only 

 a few species inhabit Europe, but several of these are very in- 

 jurious to cultivated plants. 



Eumolpus Fulgldus, Fabr., a common South American species, is 



