CHRYSOMELA. 33 



finity to the Cassidae and Coccinellae; but the 

 thorax and large elytra of the former, and the 

 antennae, increasing in size towards the end of 

 the latter, sufficiently distinguish them from the 

 species of this genus. The Chrysomelae in ge- 

 neral are very small insects ; the largest not 

 exceeding half an inch in length. Many of them 

 are enriched with the most beautiful colours, 

 such as scarlet, azure, blue, golden green, &c. 

 One of them, the Chrysomela Populi, very much 

 resembles our Lady Bird. It is about twice 

 the size, and is of a bright red colour, with the 

 tips of the wing-cases black, and the thorax of 

 a greenish black. The Chrysomelae live on trees 

 and plants, feeding on their leaves, and there 

 depositing their eggs. In some species the fe- 

 male is so prolific, and the abdomen so distend- 

 ed with eggs, that it is hardly covered by the 

 elytra. 



The larvae have six long scaly feet, and an 

 oblong oval body, divided into rings, and end- 

 ing in a fleshy knob, which serves for a seventh 

 leg; and not only assists them in their motion, 

 but being commonly covered with a glutinous 



