TORTOISE BEETLES. 213 



tew days they were shrivelled up. The others I also put into 

 fine earth, and saturated it with water. Unfortunately, there 

 was no opening at the bottom of the cup ; and the next day, 

 perceiving that the earth was still' saturated with water, I 

 drained it and removed the larva, but they were all dead. This 

 accident may serve to account for the scarcity of the insects 

 after very wet seasons.' 



The result of this and other experiments is, that the insects 

 are in all probability attracted to their food-plant by scent ; 

 and, as they have large wings which they can use well, it is 

 impossible to keep them out of a field which contains their 

 favourite food. Mr. E. Newman suggests that all weeds should 

 be cut, dried, and kept in heaps until the Beetles are on the 

 wing, when they should be placed in heaps on the windward 

 side of the field and lighted, so that the smoke — strengthened 

 with a little sulphur — may blow over the ground and repel the 

 Beetles. If they can be kept off for a time, the plant gains 

 strength, and then the Beetles cannot kill it, though they 

 may seriously damage it. 



The name Phyllotreta is of Grreek origin, and signifies ' leaf- 

 borer.' There are more than a hundred British species of 

 these Kttle Beetles, and the now restricted genus Phyllotreta 

 contains thirteen species. The larva of this Beetle is shown 

 on Woodcut XXIII. Fig. a. 



Amother example of this family is shown on Woodcut 

 XXIII. Fig. 3. Its name is Psylliodes hyoscyami. There is 

 a curious structure in the antennae of the insects belonoinir to 

 this genus — the second and third joints being so fused to- 

 gether as to form one long joint. The tibiae of the hind legs 

 are abruptly sloped at the end, and the tarsi are set on the 

 upper edge and above the apex. The colour of this Beetle is 

 green above and black below, a brassy gloss covering the whole 

 of the surface. The large hinder femora are black, and the 

 whole of the upper surface is thickly punctured, the punctures 

 being arranged in striae on the elytra. It is not a very com- 

 mon insect. 



We now pass to the family of the Cassidiidae, commonly 

 known by the popular and appropriate name of ToiiTOisi 



