INSECT LIFE IN INDIA. 



445 



insect is armed with long horns on the head and thorax as shown in 

 Fig. 116 whilst the female is dull brownish black in colour and is hornless. 



The Ceto- 

 niides, the 

 last sub- 

 family of the 

 Scarabse i d ee, 

 ar e well 

 known owing 

 to the great 

 beauty of 

 their colour- 

 ation, they 

 being the 

 most highly coloured family. They are 

 known to most under the name of rose 

 chafers or rose beetles, being commonly 

 found feeding upon and destroying the 

 petals of roses. Some 1,600 odd species 

 of this group are known. They are 

 particularly addicted to warm regions, 

 although a large number of species are 

 found in the Old World. The beetles are 

 usually to be found active in brilliant 

 sunlight. The method of flight is peculiar 

 in this subfamily ; the elytra do not 

 extend down the sides of the body, 

 so that, if they are elevated a little, the wings can be protruded ; in 

 other words the elytra are lifted as one piece. This is the mode of 

 flight of most Cetonids. 



In India the subfamily is represented by numerous species. 



Cetonia maculata is a bronzy brown beetle 

 (Fig. 117) with white patches on the sides 

 of the thorax, elytra and base of head. 

 It is a common beetle in India. Rhom- 

 horrhina ruckeri is the Cetonid shown 

 in Plate III., Fig. 8. It is an inhabitant 

 of the Himalayas. Dicranocephalus wal- 



Fig. 



116— Xylotrupes gideon 

 (Assam). 



Fig. 



11.7— Cetonia 

 flndia). 



maculata 



