GROUP LAMELLICORNES. 65 



of the large beetles, and they belong to temperate climates : the legs are placed at equal 

 distances apart ; the scutellum is distinct ; the clypeus is entire, and the antennae are 

 nine-jointed. The body is more elongated than in the former family. 



The fourth family is small, or of a moderate extent : it is the Troqida: of Macleav. 

 The insects are of a medium size, ovate or gibbous, and the elytra are inflexed at their 

 sides. The scutellum is distinct, and the anterior tibhe are imperfectly toothed. The head 

 is deflexed ; thorax short, posteriorly situated, and the anterior angles are advanced : the 

 elytra are rugose. (Plate xxiv, figs. 1 & 3.) 



The fifth family is the Dynastidje of Macleay. The insects of the family are gigantic, 

 and the males are very strongly identified by prominences and horns upon their heads or 

 thoraces. The jaws are powerful, horny and prominent, and furnished with two teeth ; the 

 scutellum is distinct ; the antenna? are ten-jointed, and the elytra are shortened behind, 

 leaving the abdomen exposed : the color is a rich chestnut-brown. The insects reside in 

 rich vegetable matter and in putrid offal, and the family belongs to tropical regions. 



The Rutilid.e constitute the sixth family, which, for the most part, are brilliantly 

 colored. The males are destitute of horns, in which respect they differ from the preceding 

 family. The antenna? are ten-jointed, club three-jointed : the mandibles are short, but 

 project more or less from beneath the coriaceous labrum ; they are also notched on the 

 outside near the tip. The elytra do not cover the abdomen. 



The seventh family is allied to the preceding : it has received the name of Axoflo- 

 gxathidje, and is composed, like the Dynastidje, of foreign species. 



The eighth family, the Melolonthim:, constitute a well-known group, which contains 

 numerous indigenous species, with forms as delineated on Plate x, figs. 4-6, 9. They are 

 ovate thin beetles, sometimes scarcely thicker behind than before. The labrum is divided 

 into two lobes transversely ; the mandibles are strong and horny, the internal margin acute 

 at the apex. The clypeus is separated by a transverse suture, which runs just before the 

 eyes : antennae 9 - 10-jointed, terminated by a knob composed of a variable number of 

 laminae (from 3 - 7), variable also in form. The anterior margin of the mentum is notched 

 or emarginate. Some of the species are large ; but the colors are not brilliant, the surface 

 being often pubescent and dull. The common horn beetle, or the goldsmith beetle, which 

 fly about in the evening in the months of June and July, may well represent this family : 

 they feed upon flowers or leaves, and are sometimes injurious in this way. 



Passing the Glaphyrid.e, the ninth family, which are all foreign to us, we reach the 

 tenth and last family, the Cetonidje, a group which holds about the same place in the 

 scale of importance as the Melolokthidx. The antennae are ten-jointed : the labrum is 

 concealed beneath an emarginate clypeus ; the mandibles are comparatively slender, lan- 

 ceolate ; the mentum is pitcher-shaped, and conceals the labium ; the scutellum distinct : 

 the elytra do not cover all the abdomen. The insects feed upon flowers, and hence do 

 considerable mischief : their forms are delineated on Plate xii, figs, i - 6. 

 [Agricultural Report — Vol. v.] 9 



