I'lIYTOPIIAGA. cO'J 



representatives occurring in Europe, Asia, North, Central and South 

 America, and Africa; eight or nine species are found in Europe, most 

 of which are also inhabitants of Asia; three of these occur in Britain ; 

 they much resemble Chrysomela, from which they may be distinguished 

 by the small mentum, the parallel episterna of the metathorax, and the 

 strongly bilobed third joint of the tarsi, as well as by having the thorax 

 considerably narrower than the elytra ; the upper surface is, in part at 

 least, metallic, and the elytra are not punctured in rows ; the tibiae have 

 their external margin flattened as far as to the knees ; the claws are 

 simple. 



The larva and pnpu of Melatoma populi are described and figured by Westwood 

 (Classification, vol. i., p. 388, fig. 48, 9, 17) ; the larva is oblong-ovate, of a dirty 

 greenish-white colour, with numerous bluck sculy spots ; the meso- nnd metathorax 

 nre furnished with two large lateral conical tubercles, and the abdominal segments 

 have also two rows of smaller dorsal and lateral tubercles, from which the insect 

 when alarmed exudes a fetid whitish fluid which has somewhat the odour of bitter 

 almonds ; the pupa is broad at one end, and narrowed where it attaches itself to the 

 leaf to which it is fastened, and it has the last skin of the larva attached to its 

 extremity ; in colour it resembles the larva ; I have found the larvae and pupa of M. 

 longicolle, which much resemble that of M. populi, in Lungworth Wood, Lincoln, 

 in July, on low aspens. 



I. Upper surface unicolorous, golden green; thorax with 



the side margin not or scarcely raised M. T.NKVM, /. 



II. Elytra brownish-red, thorax bluish-black or greenish, 

 metallic, with the side margin strongly raised. 



i. Size larger and broader ; elytra with a small black 

 spot at sutural apical angle M. POPULI, Z. 



ii. Size smaller and narrower ; elytra without black spot 

 at apex M. LONGICOLLE, Suffr. 



M. eeneum, L. (s.g. Linaidea, Mots.). Oblong oval, not very con- 

 vex, narrowed in front and widened behind, very shiny, upper surface 

 bright green or golden green, sometimes coppery, under-side darker, 

 blackish-green, apex of abdomen ferruginous; head depressed in 

 middle, antennae short, dark with first joint metallic and joints 3-5 

 reddish beneath, at all events at apex ; thorax very transverse, much 

 narrower than elytra, with the sides not or scarcely raised, diffusely 

 punctured on disc, more closely at sides; elytra closely and rather 

 strongly punctured, considerably widened behind, with the shoulders 

 strongly marked and callose ; legs dark, more or less metallic, last joint 

 of tarsi produced into a tooth at each side at apex. L. 5^-7 mm. 



Male with the thorax smaller than in female, and the fifth ventral 

 segment of abdomen subtruncate at apex. 



On alders; very local ; Exeter; Leicester; Cannock Chase; Bala and Bannouth, 

 Wales ; Burnt Wood, Staffordshire ; Robins Wood, near Kepton, common on alders 

 in June ; Chatuworth ; Durham ; Scotland, local, Solway, Tweed, and Tay districts. 



DC. populi, L. A large and broad oval and convex species, with the 

 elytra raised before middle and depressed to base, blackish-blue or 

 greenish, metallic, with the elytra red, apex narrowly black at suture ; 



