ON THE LAMELLICORNES. 517 



distinguisli it from all its cognate tribes — its green colour, at 

 least on its upper surface, is merely superficial, and may be 

 removed by friction, when only black appears. 



The species we figured is from Mexico, therefore we 

 will call it Mexicana. It is of a rather dull golden green 

 colour, with delicate punctated striae, with minute punctures 

 intermixed on the elytra, which have a lobe on the outer pos- 

 terior angle. The antennse ferrugineous, with the first joint 

 golden green ; the palpi ferrugineous ; the tarsi violet ; the 

 penidtimate segment of the abdomen with a transverse violet 

 mark at the base above ; the abdomen copperish green 

 beneath ; the legs are fulvous green, with the interior of the 

 tibiae copperish. The length is seventeen lines. There is 

 also another species from the same place, which is about 

 fourteen lines long, and is more strongly striated on the 

 elytra, with some minute punctures between them, and very 

 slightly copperish beneath the abdomen ; the tarsi golden 

 green. This species we name Auripes. Both these species 

 are in the Collection of J. G. Children, Esq. 



The RuTEL.E were confounded by Fabricius and Olivier 

 with the cetoniae. They form, however, in the method of the 

 last, a particular family. It has no triangular piece at the 

 lateral base of the elytra. 



These insects are proper to the New World, and especially 

 to such of its countries as are situated between the tropics. 

 We know nothing positive concerning their manner of life ; 

 but from the scaly consistence of their jaws, the numerous 

 teeth with which they are provided, it is probable that their 

 habits have great analogy with those of melolontha and sca- 

 rabaeus. Their brilliant or agreeable colours would seem to 

 indicate that these insects do not shun the light like the 

 latter, but that they are to be found in open day on flowers, 

 or perhaps, rather, upon leaves. 



Fabricius first separated the Melolonth.e from Scara- 



