MELOLONTHIDiE. — SERICA. 219 



most voraciously, as their larvae do the roots ; and the latter are 

 sometimes very destructive, as they live for several years; but the 

 imago lives for a short period only. 



The following are the indigenous genera, which may be detected 

 by the annexed characters: — 



C eequales, ad basin subtusunidentati: 206. Melolontha. 

 fsimplices, < 



I inaequales : . • 210. Hoplia. 



(10. Ungues \ 



| f subacute-: 203. Serica. 



I^bifidi. Palpi articulo ultimo < 



Ctruncato: 204. Omaloplia. 



£ ■ fhaudproductus, trans- fangustatus: 207. Phyllopertha. 



versus, integer. | 

 f inaquales. | Thorax^ 



Clypeus \ postice | 



flatus: 208. Anomala. 



\J). Ungues - | 



tproductus, reflexus : . 209. Anisoplia. 



aequales, simp] ices : • . . 205. Amphimalla. 



Genus CC1II. — Serica, MacLeay. 



Antennae ten-jointed, the basal joint thick, clavate, pilose; the second globose ; 

 third and fourth subcylindric, short; fifth conic; sixth and seventh cup- 

 shaped ; the remainder forming a trilamellated club, which in the male is 

 very long and narrow. Palpi, maxillary pilose, with the terminal joint naked, 

 shorter than the others united, cylindric, with the apex rather acute ; labial 

 with the terminal joint very acute: labrum emarginate : head broad: clypeus 

 slightly emarginate : eyes large, globose : thorax very short, transverse: body 

 short, ovate, convex: elytra elongate: legs slender: tarsi very long; claws 

 equal, bifid at the apex. 



Serica resembles Omaloplia in habit; but from that genus the 

 acuteness of the terminal joint of the maxillary palpi at once re- 

 moves it, exclusively of the dissimilarity in the proportions of the 

 antenna?, form of body, &c. 



Sp. 1. brunnea. Hufo-testacea, glabra, thorace puncto later all fusco, elytris 



striatis. (Long. corp. 44 — 5 lin.) 

 Sc. brunneus. Linne.— Marty n, pi. 3.f. 24.— Se. bruunea. Steph. Catal. 115. 

 No. 1186. 



Entirely of a testaceous-red, glabrous, sometimes with a slight seneous tinge : 

 clypeus punctate ; the vertex sometimes dusky : eyes black : thorax finely 

 punctulated, with an obscure fuscous spot on each side: elytra obsoletely 

 punctate-striated. 



