ENTOMOLOGICAL CABINET. 



CRYPTOCEPHALUS SEXPUNCTATUS. Fabr. 

 Chrysomela Sexpunctata. LinnL 



Black : head with a yellowish spot between the 

 antennae, and a white spot on each side beneath the 

 eyes, and two spots under the mouth : thorax, yel- 

 lowish red, with two black spots and a black varying 

 line at the base : elytra punctured and of the same 

 colour with the thorax, the margins and suture 

 black, with one small and two large black spots on 

 each elytron : legs black with a white spot on the 

 tip of the four hinder thighs : antennas black with 

 the basal joint yellowish : body black and shining. 



Length 2£ to 3$ lines. 



Inhabits the sallow, hazel and birch. 



This scarce and beautiful species we met with 

 many years since in the wood, near Bexley, Kent, in 

 the month of June. At that period it was not con- 

 sidered by Dr. Leach to be indigenous, although he 

 possessed specimens, yet he had a doubt as to the 

 authenticity of his being British specimens, as he had 

 never taken the insect himself, or had seen a living 

 specimen ; since then it has been taken repeatedly, 

 but is by no means a common insect. The Crypto- 

 cephali are certainly very local insects and many of 

 the species very rare : they inhabit shrubs and flow- 

 ers in chalk -pits and are active on the wing during 

 fine, hot and dry weather. 



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