550 INSECTA. 



the maxillary palpi suddenly terminated in a large triangular joint. Anthictis 2-punctatus, Fab., placed in 

 this situation by Latreille, with doubt [and inserted by English Entomologists near Latridius and other pesudo- 

 Xylophaga.] [The genera Carpophagus and Megamcrtis, Macleay, are composed of New Holland insects, allied to 

 Sagra.] 



The second tribe, Criocerides, is distinguished from the preceding by the mandibles having the tip 

 truncated, or with two or three teeth, and by the touguelet, which is either entire or but slightly 

 notched. It is composed of the genus 



Crioceris, Geoffr.— 

 which we divide as follows : — 



Sometimes the mandibles are pointed, and with two or three teeth at the tips. The palpi are filiform. The 

 antennas, of the ordinary thickness, are nearly moniliform in some, and composed of reversed conical joints in 

 others, with the tips evidently thickened. 



Donacia, Fab. (Leptura, Linn.), has the posterior thighs large and thickened ; the antennae of equal thickness 

 throughout ; the eyes entire, and the last joint of the tarsi almost entirely received between the lobes of the third 

 joint. These insects are often brilliantly coloured, and bronzed or gilt. Many also exhibit a silky coating, which 

 must be useful to them when they fall into the water. They ordinarily live upon aquatic plants, as the Sagittaria, 

 Nymphaea, &c., upon which they take firm hold. It is in their roots that their larvae reside. Their pupae, according 

 to M. A. Brongniart, are attached to their filaments by only one side, and thus form knots or bulbs. The larvas are 

 naked and hidden, like those of the Lepturidae. [The genus comprises a great number of British species.] 



Htemonia, Meg. [MacropUea of the British Catalogues], are Donaciee with the penultimate joint of the tarsi 

 very small and nearly entire, and the last very long. [D. Equiseti and Zostera:, [rare British species]. 



Petauristes, Latr., has the hind thighs large, but the eyes are notched ; the antennae composed of shorter joints, 

 and the lobes of the third tarsal joint only receiving the base of the last joint. [Lema varia, Fabr.] 



Crioceris proper (Lema, Fabr.), dift'ers from the preceding in having the hind thighs scarcely different from the 

 others. The antenna; are slightly thickened at the tips, and are nearly moniliform, the joints being scarcely 

 longer than thick ; the eyes are prominent and notched ; the bind part of the head forms a kind of neck. 

 • These insects live upon Liliaceae, Asparagus, &c., and, like those of the preceding family, make a slight noise 

 when seized. Their larvae feed upon the same plants, on which they take firm hold by means of their six scaly 

 feet. They have the body soft, short, and swollen ; their excrements are occasionally used by them to form a 

 covering over the back, defending them from the action of the sun ; the anus is for this purpose placed upon tlie 

 back. They descend into the earth to become pup*. 



Crioceris merdigera, the Lily Beetle, is three lines long, with the thorax and elytra red. It is found throughout 

 Europe upon the White Lily. M. Boudier has published some observations upon the French species, L. brunnea, 

 in the Memoirs of the Linncean tSocieig of Paris. 



Crioceris Asparagi, [the Asparagus Beetle, is of a smaller size], being blue, with the thorax red with a spot in the 

 middle, and the elytra are yellowish white with blue markings. [Its larva feeds upon the young sprigs of 

 asparagus, and sometimes does damage to the plants. See my memoir on this insect in the 

 Gardener^s Magazine.] Cr. \2-punctata, Linn., also feeds on this plant. 



r^^rmP Auchenia, Thunb. [Crevia, Kirby], differs in having the eyes entire; the palpi pointed at the tip ; 



/jLj jf\ the seven terminal joints of the antennae thickened, and the thorax with the sides dilated in the 

 /ly jt> middle — {Crioceris subspinosa, Fab.) 



/ ^^& \ Megascelis, Dej., differs from the preceding in having the mandibles truncate ; the palpi termi- 

 nated by a swollen truncate joint, with a small joint-like prolongation. The species are of small 



rig. 83.-Crioceris . , ,. ^ „ m i ■ 



Asparagi. sizc, and peculiar to South America. 



THE SIXTH FAMILY OF THE COLEOPTERA TETRAMERA,— 

 The Cyclica, — 

 Has also the under-side of the three basal joints of the tarsi spongy or pulvillose, the third being 

 bilobed, and the antennae filiform, or slightly thickened at the tips ; the body is also generally rounded, 

 with the base of the thorax as broad as the elytra in the species, few in number, in which the body 

 is oblong ; the maxillaj have the outer lobe of a narrow form, nearly cylindrical and palpiform, and 

 the inner lobe is broader, and without a scaly hook. The tonguelet is nearly square, or oval ; entire, 

 or slightly emarginate. All the larvae with which we are acquainted are furnished with six feet ; the 

 body is soft, coloured ; they feed like the perfect insect upon the leaves of different vegetables, where 

 they ordinarily affix themselves by a glutinous secretion ; it is there also where many of them become 

 pupae, the exuviae of the larvae being crumpled up at the extremity of the body of the pupae, which are 

 often varied in their colours. Other larvae enter the eaith. 



These insects are generally of small size, often ornamented with metallic and brilliant colours, with 

 the body naked and without hairs. They are generally slow in their motions, timid, and fall to the 



