LYTTA. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Tarsi entire; nails bifid; head not produced 

 into a rostrum; elytra flexible, covering the 

 whole abdomen, linear, semicylindric ; wings 

 perfect; maxillae with two membranaceous laci- 

 niae, the external one acute within, subuncinate ; 

 antennae longer than the head and thorax, recti- 

 linear; first joint longest, the second transverse, 

 very short ; maxillary palpi larger at tip. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



To this group of insects belongs the celebrated 

 " Spanish fly," distinguished in the healing art for 

 its vesicating virtue. The species were placed 

 by Linne in his genus Meloe ; Geoffroy, De- 

 geer, Olivier, Lamarck, Latreille, and Leach, 

 distinguished them by the name of Cantharis ; 

 and Fabricius, Marsham, and Dejean, apply the 

 designation I have adopted. 



The larvae live in the earth, and the perfect 

 insect is often gregarious, feeding on leaves. 



PLATE III. 



