PHTTOl'HAGA. 315 



rows ; some of the members of this group, both in the larval and the perfect 

 state, appear to be very destructive to Cruciferae, and sometimes do 

 damage to mustard crops ; the precautions to be observed against them 

 are much the same as must be used in the case of the Turnip Fly 

 (Haltica nemorum, &c.), which will be discussed further on in this 

 work ; in general structure the larvae of Phaedon, Phnttora, Prasocuris, 

 Ac., appear to bear a strong analogy to those of Mela$(/ma, although they 

 differ somewhat in breadth, convexity, and one or two other minor 

 l>oints. 



I. Thorax with disc im punctate P. TTMIDULCS, Germ. 



II. Thorax with disc distinctly punctured. 



i. Shoulders of elytra very strongly callose ; raised line 

 between intermediate coxae stronger and quite straight P. ABMORACI.K, L. 



(betula, Kiist.) 



ii. Shoulders of elytra moderately callose ; raised line be- 

 tween intermediate coxae finer and curved. 



1. Interstices of elytra extremely finely punctured ; 



colour, as a rule, bright blue P. COCHLEARIJE, F. 



2. Interstices of elytra finely but distinctly punctured 

 and rugose ; colour, as a rule, bright green or golden 



green P. coNCiSNrs, Stepli. 



P. tumidulus, Geim. Short oval, very convex, deep steel-blue, or 

 slightly brassy, sometimes almost black ; head closely and rather strongly 

 punctured, antennae dark, with base pitchy ; thorax with sides narrowed 

 in front, very smooth, and somewhat flattened, on disc, with base and 

 sides finely punctured ; scutellum large, smooth; elytra with very fine 

 punctured striae, interstices extremely finely punctured ; legs dark. 

 L. 2-3 mm. 



By sweeping herbage, especially by the sides of roads, lanes, &c. ; common and 

 generally distributed throughout the greater part of the kingdom ; Dr. Sharp records 

 it as common in Scotland on Heracleuin spondylivm, and I have found it in numbers 

 on the came plant, but cannot say whether it is attached to it exclusively. 



P. armoraciee, L. (befitlte, Kust. ; cochleari&^P&nz. ef Gyll., nrF.). 

 Short oval, rather convex, shining, of a deep steel-blue cyaneous colour, 

 with the anal segment of abdomen furnished with a broad and bright 

 reddish-testaceous border, a point that will at once distinguish it ; 

 antennae black ; thorax thickly, distinctly, and uniformly punctured, 

 narrowed in front ; elytra with a strong humeral callosity, and \vith 

 rather fine punctured striae, which are, however, much stronger than in 

 JP. tumitluhis, and are somewhat variable ; these striae are confused at 

 apex ; the interstices are closely and distinctly punctured, but more 

 finely in some specimens than in others; legs dark. L. 3-3^ mm. 



In damp places, by sweeping herbage, at roots of grass, in flood refuse, Ac. ; gene- 

 rally distributed throughout England, and in some localities very common; in some 

 districts, however, it is certainly not common, and Bold records it as very rare in 

 Northumberland and Durham ; Scotland, local, in the water among Montia fontaaa, 

 Solway, Forth, and Moray districts (Sharp) ; Ireland, Armagh, and probably widely 

 distributed. 



