OUTLINES OF ENTOMOLOGY. 69 



membranous margin around the thorax and wing covers which almost 

 conceals the legs. The coloring is extremely beautiful in one species, 

 Cassida aurichalcea, being at times of the most brilliantly burnished 

 gold, and again with opalescent reflections. Other species are mottled 

 or striped in gold and brown. 



The flat, oval larvae have a spiny surface and lateral margin, and 

 the body terminates in a pair of strong bristles, upon which during 

 growth the cast-off skins and excrement are accumulated and held up 

 over the body to shield it from the sun and from its enemies. 



The larvae of species belonging to the genera Chlamys and.CWwop- 

 tera make cases, which, when feeding, they carry over or drag behind 

 them, and to which they retire for repose. 



Another group with whose destructive work the farmer and gar- 

 dener is only too well acquainted, contains the Flea-beetles. These are 

 mostly small species, characterized by their greatly expanded and thick- 

 ened thighs, which give them their remarkable jumping power. Haltica, 

 chalybea, Illig., is a dark steel-blue species, often very troublesome on 

 grape-vines. The Cucumber-flea beetle Crepidodera cucumeris, Har., is 

 one of the pests of the Gourd family of plants. The Stripped Flea 

 beetles (Phyllotreta sinuata, Steph., and P. vittata, Fabr.), riddle the 

 leaves of turnips, radishes and cabbage with small, round holes. The 

 larvae feed under ground on the roots or mine the leaves of plants be- 

 longing in the same family with the vegetables mentioned. Haltica 

 (GraptoderaJ foliacea, Lee., is very destructive in the far western States 

 to the foliage of young apple trees. 



The Seed weevils (BRTJCHID^) are a small family of beetles that 

 breed in seeds and grain. They are of broad oval, flattened form, from 

 one-tenth to one-fifth inch long. The antennae are rather short and 

 serrate, and the tip of the abdomen protrudes beyond the wing-covers. 

 The Pea weevil (BrucJius pisi, Linn.), the Bean weevil (B. obsoletus, Say.), 

 and the Grain weevil (B. granarius, Linn.,) are the most destructive 

 species, whose habits are well known to every farmer and gardener. 



Section HETEROMERA. 



In this somewhat isolated group of beetles, we find the chief 

 peculiarity in the feet, the front and middle pair of which are five- 

 jointed and the hind pair four-jointed. These are not cushioned be- 

 neath, as are those of the Leaf beetles. Many of the species are 

 exceedingly interesting to the biologist on account of their peculiar 

 development, which has one or two seemingly retrograde stages in those 

 of parasitic habits. 



