80 FAMILIES OF PETALOCERA WHICH FEED ON 



Observations. 



This family I had once proposed to name Sericidee, 

 because the type is not Melolontha vulgaris, but M. 

 brunnea, Fab., forming a genus analogous to Trox, and 

 which I have separated from the Fabrician genus Melo- 

 lontha under the name of Serica. As, however, it is desi- 

 rable that the families should be designated after well 

 known genera, the term Melolonthidee has been adopted 

 in preference to the new name now given to the real type 

 of the family. The Melolonthidee are the least brilliant of 

 theThalerophagousPe/a/ocem, and in this respect, as well 

 as their subglobose convex form, compose an excellent 

 parallel to the Trogidee. Another interesting analogy is, 

 that of all this circle the Melolonthidee, as far as we, know 

 their history, seem to frequent sandy soils the most ; but 

 of this disposition the best example will be afforded by 

 the insects composing Latreille's 3d division of Melolontha, 

 which are in fact the types of this family. We have already 

 shown how they may be distinguished from the Glaphy- 

 ridce ; and it remains therefore only necessary to state 

 their principal difference from the Anoplognathidee , which 

 consists in the triangular labrum, plane mentum, extended 

 sternum, and thick strong feet of these, in opposition to 

 the emarginate or subemarginate labrum, inflected men- 

 tum, rarely produced sternum, and slender feet of the 

 Melolonthidee. 



The present family consists of insects some of which 

 are the most common and most destructive of Coleoptera: 

 nevertheless, little is known as yet of their economy, and 

 still less of their internal anatomy. They are found in 



