J. W. ELLIS: LIVERPOOL COLEOPTERA. 



211 



PART XII:-EUPODA. 



In the Tetramerous division of the Coleoptera — comprising those 

 beetles which always possess four tarsal joints to each foot, and in 

 which the third joint is bilobed — are included the Longicornia, just 

 alluded to, and the group which next engages our attention, the 

 Eupoda, a group which contains a large number of species of small 

 or moderate size, all of phytophagous habits, and usually having the 

 antennae filiform and the joints so shaped as to make the organ 

 appear like a string of beads, whence the name Monilicornia adopted 

 for the group by some authors. The beetles of this group are 

 marked out into four very distinct (and several less distinct) families, 

 viz., the Donaciadce. — beetles averaging about half-an-inch in length 

 and always inhabiting water plants, on the leaves of which they may 

 frequently be found sunning themselves in early summer \ the 

 ChrysomelidcE or ' golden-apple ' beetles, remarkable all the world 

 over for the brilliancy of many of the species, though few even of 

 the tropical forms exceed in beauty, though they may excel in size, 

 our somewhat local Chrysoniela graniinis or the very scarce Snow- 

 donian C. cerealis ; the HalticidcE, most of which vie with a lively 

 domestic insect in their powers of leaping, hence the name 'turnip- 

 flea ' bestowed on two of the members of the genus Fhyllotreta ; and 

 the Cassididce^ a small family of most singular structure, which has 

 gained for the individuals the very characteristic name of ' tortoise ' 

 beetles. 



About 240 species of this group are contained in the British lists, 

 and of these I am able to record 47 as having occurred in our own 

 neighbourhood, a number which could be much increased by 

 systematic evening sweeping, for the majority of the species frequent 

 low herbage. 



Fam. DONACIAD^. 

 DON AC I A, Fab. 



Donacia Mdens, 01. I once took this species in profusion in a 



pond between Liscard and Wallasey, where it was sunning itself 



on the leaves of a species of Potanwgeton. 

 Bonacia sagittarise, F. I once took a single specimen of this 



species by sweeping vv'ater plants in a drain between Hall Road 



and Hightown stations. 

 Donacia sericea, L. Recorded from Rock Ferry by Air. Archer 



(diary). 



Fam. CRIOCERID.^. 

 ZEUGOPHORA, Kunze. 



Zeugophora subspinosa, Fab. Abundant on aspens and poplars 

 about Formby. 



July 1887. 



