THE EROTYLID^E, SI 5 



elongate, nearly cylindrical, and very obtuse at both 

 extremities ; it has short serrated antennae. Cryptoce- 

 phalus is of a somewhat similar form ; but its antennae 

 are usually very long, especially in the males, and 

 slightly clavate at the apex. Its head, also, is retractile 

 within the thorax, whence its name ; whereas in Clythra 

 it is deflexed, and has very prominent mandibles. The 

 latter appears confined to the Old World; whereas 

 Cryptocephalus, w r hich is a very numerous genus, nearly 

 200 species being known, has a universal range. The 

 larvae of the insects of this family have a peculiar ap- 

 pearance, very unlike the neighbouring families, and 

 more like those of the Lamellicornes, being consider- 

 ably swollen at the posterior extremity, and frequently 

 curved. Like the Cassidce, these insects use their ex- 

 crement as a protection, forming a case of it, into 

 which they retire, protruding only their heads and legs. 

 Many other genera as the beautiful Colaspis, Eumol- 

 pus, and Lamprosoma belong to this group ; the latter 

 exclusively American, and of considerable refulgence, as 

 we have before observed, and whence Mr. Kirby named 

 it generically. 



(281.) The ErotylidcB are our next family, and have, 

 like the Eumorphi, an enlarged compressed club to the 

 antennae ; the body very gibbous, the gibbosity almost 

 angulated; and they have also longer legs than the 

 cognate families: they are fungivorous insects. It is 

 exceedingly remarkable, that several truly heteromerous 

 genera find their complete analogies within this circular 

 group of insects ; for we cannot consider them close 

 affinities, although the resemblance is frequently so 

 great, that any but a skilled entomologist would, from 

 their appearance, place them with the genera they re- 

 semble. This shows how important it is to divest 

 ourselves of the influence of appearance, and to examine 

 carefully ; for it is particulars only that can confirm 

 identity. As instances of these deceptive forms, I need 

 mention but a few; namely, Spheniscus, Nilio, Cossy- 

 phus, and Helceus. Although the structure of parts 



