26 MIOCENE FAUNA. 



among the more important groups. The remarkable predo- 

 minance of the Sternoxi is chiefly produced by the Buprestidse 

 (gold-beetles), a family which attained a far more important 

 development in the Tertiary fauna than it does at present, and 

 which is now most numerous in warmer zones. Many species 

 of Buprestidas are found in the Lias, including the great majority 

 of the wood-beetles of that early period (see vol. i. p. 87) . The 

 predominance of the Buprestidse, the abundance of Palpicornes, 

 and the rare occurrence of Brachelytra are the most character- 

 istic features of the Tertiary beetle-fauna. 



Ladybirds (Coccinellida3) are everywhere well-known insects, 

 characterized by the convex form of their body, and generally by 

 their elegantly spotted elytra. From QEningen nineteen species 

 have been received ; and of most of these the original colouring 

 is still to be recognized. It was as lively and varied as in living 

 species. In one species (Coccinella color at a, fig. 234) four black 

 spots may be observed on the thorax, and ten upon each elytron. 

 One species (C. Andromeda, Heer) resembles the common Swiss 

 seven-spotted ladybird; another (C. Hesione, Heer) represents 

 the two-spotted species (C. dispar, 111.) ; and a third (C. ama- 

 biliSj Heer) is like C. ocellata. Linn. ; whilst a fourth, large spe- 

 cies (C. spectabilis, Heer, fig. 235) agrees in size and form with 

 the Brazilian C. marginata. 



Of the Chrysomelinas (Phytophaga) fifty species are known 

 from CEningen ; and to these must be added three more from the 

 Swiss Miocene. The most numerously represented families are 

 the Chrysomelidae (with fifteen species), the Gallerucida3 (with 

 nine), and the Cassididse (with eight species). Among the 

 Chrysomelidse one species (Lina populeti, Heer, fig. 237) is very 

 like the Swiss common poplar-beetle (Lina populi, Linn., sp.), 

 and probably had also blood-red elytra; another (Gonioctena 

 Clymene, Heer) resembles G. pallida, Fab., which lives on the 

 black alder and hazel; and a third (Chrysomela calami, Heer, 

 fig. 238) is allied to Chrysomela graminis, Linn., which is met 

 with on reeds. 



Among the Gallerucidse three species had the head and thorax 

 light-coloured (probably red or yellow during life), and the an- 

 tennae and elytra black (probably metallic during life). The 

 largest of these (Galleruca Buchi, Heer, fig. 236) is most nearly 



