CHRYSOMELID^. MELASOMA. 349 



pression ; the entire surface tJiickly covered with minute nearly uniform 

 punctures : legs and base of the antennae slightly tinted with violet : tarsi 

 very broad, griseous beneath. 



Larva violet, with the apex of the body yellow ; it is very robust and trans- 

 versely wrinkled. 



The Linnean name laevigata has been restored to this insect. 



Extremely abundant in hedges and on heaths, from February to 

 October, throughout the metropolitan district. " Abundant in 

 Cambridgeshire." — Rev. L. Jenyns. " Weston." — Rev. A. H. 

 Matthews. " York, Southwold, Suffolk, &c." — W. C. Hewitson, 

 Esq. "Frequent (near Swansea)." — L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. " Ep- 

 ping." — Mr. Douhleday. 



Sp. 2. coriaria. Nigra, suhnitida, crebre inwquahter punctata, subtus violacea, 



(Long. corp. 3^5 lin.) 

 Ch. coriaria. Fabricius. —Ti. coriaria. Steph. Catal. 224. JVo. 2301. 



Black above, shghtly shining, sometimes with a violaceous or purplish tinge : 

 the upper surface deeply, thickly, and irregularly punctured, the punctures for 

 the most part confluent : legs and basal joints of the antennae violet ; apex of 

 the latter fuscous-black. 



Also very common throughout the metropolitan district. " Re- 

 markably abundant on the Devil's-ditch, appearing as early as 

 February." — Rev. L. Jenyns. " Abundant near York." — W. C. 

 Hewitson, Esq. " Weston." — Rev. A. H. Matthews. " On dry 

 banks near the Mumbles." — L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. " Epping." — 

 Mr. Douhleday. 



Genus CCCCVII. — Melasoma, Dillwyn. 



AntenncB short, rather slender ; the basal joint robust, dilated within ; second 

 short, subglobose; third elongate, subclavate; fourth also elongate, shorter 

 than the third ; the two following small, short, nodose ; the remainder gra- 

 dually increasing, and forming a slender compressed club, of which the four 

 basal joints are transverse, and the apical one is large ovate-acute. Palpi 

 slender, the terminal joint minute, obtuse: head small, rounded, inserted to 

 the eyes, which are oblong, into the thorax, the latter narrow, deeply emar- 

 ginate in fronts and in general with the lateral margin incrassated : body 

 oblong: wings and elytra ample: legs short, simple: tarsi with the joints 

 cordate, the second from the base small. 



The insects of this genus are distinguished from the genuine 



