ENTOMOLOGICAL CABINET. 



CETONIA AURATA. Fair. 



Rose-chafer. 



There are scarcely any of the English Coleopterous 

 insects more beautiful than this. The upper parts of 

 this insect are of a splendid shining green colour, 

 and varying from a blue green to a copper colour : 

 the head and thorax are slightly punctured : the scu- 

 tellum large : elytra sinuated at the sides and shorter 

 than the body, with a fiexuous band and spots of an 

 ochre colour ; the sculpture is curious, being conical 

 markings, as if made by the nib of a dry pen : the 

 under part is also of a burnished green or copper 

 colour ; the breast hairy as are also the legs ; the 

 body is terminated by yellow hair. This insect is not 

 uncommon in the month of June, and may be found 

 feeding on flowers, particularly those of the rose and 

 peony. 



The caterpillar of this insect feeds under ground, 

 generally at the roots of trees, and seldom appears on 

 the surface unless disturbed by digging, or some 

 other accident. They are considered to be injurious 

 to the gardener, from their devouring the roots of 

 his plants and trees. The female deposits her eggs 

 in the middle of June. For this purpose she bur- 

 rows into soft light ground, hollowing out and form- 

 ing for them a proper receptacle. When the operation 

 is over she returns to the surface and flies off, but 

 seldom lives more than a few weeks. The cater - 

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