Criocerid^. INSECTS. Aspidimorpha. 235 
FAMiLY~LEPTUPaDJ3. 
The family Lepturidae have generally round eyes, 
and are often attenuated in the elytra, and also in the 
beak or front of the head. It is a very large family. 
Many of the Lepturoe (true), Strangalice, and Gram- 
mopterce are essentially insects of the temperate or 
colder parts of the world. Mr. Waterhouse places 
Molorchus (Coleoptera, Plate 3, fig. 2), with its abbre- 
viated antennae, among them. Here also comes the 
genus Bhagium, of which we have three species, 
marked like the bark of some trees, and mottled and 
barred irregularly (see Rhagium mordax — Coleoptera, 
Plate 3, fig. 1). I may specify the curious genus 
Nemotragus, long and parallel, and those interesting 
Australian genera, Stenoderus and its allies. The curious 
Mastododera, from Madagascar, is a note-worthy genus, 
allied to our Toxotus. 
There are fifty-five recorded British Longicorns ; but 
many more are occasionally met with, imported by 
ships. 
Group — PHYTOPHAGA {Plant-eating Beetles). 
These Beetles, as the name implies, are all livers on 
plants, and eaters of their leaves and other parts. 
Some of them, especially in the family Galerucidce are 
at times very destructive to our crops. Few of them 
are very large. The Sagridce, thick-legged clumsy 
beetles, coming out of a hardish cocoon, are among the 
largest. 
In the phytophagous beetles the head is generally 
immersed in the thorax up to the eyes ; the parts of 
the mouth, except in a few, are not prominent. The 
Donacice, frequenting water plants ; the strange, often 
strong -jawed, large-headed Clythridm ; those lovely 
ruby and emerald gems, the brilliant species of Lam- 
prosoma — South American insects. Here come the 
strange species of Chlamys, some like pieces of clay 
knobbed ; others like a glowing ember ; the species 
are chiefly South American, but a few are met with in 
the Old World. 
If the reader wishes to study the Hispidce — a well- 
marked and very numerous fine family-^he must pro- 
cure Mr. Baly’s work on it. 
The great work of Boheman of Stockholm on the 
CASSiDiDiE is indispensable, as well as his very useful 
catalogue with new species, published by the trustees 
of the British Museum. 
The HalticcB, are a very extensive family of insects 
with thickened saltatorial hind legs ; our readers may 
study the descriptive catalogue of the Rev. Hamlet 
Clark. The numerous papers of Stahl and of Baly on 
Dorypliora and other chrysomelidous groups must be 
consulted. 
Family— CRIOCERIDH3. 
Here come Sagra, Donacia, Megalopus, and its 
allies, a fine group, chiefly from the New World. 
The strange and rare Carpophagus and Megamerus, 
Australian genera very like Bruchidce, are placed here; 
and here indeed the Bruchidse, perhaps, should be 
naturally registered. 
The Crioceris merdigera is a species found on the 
water-lily. 
In Asparagus beds is frequently found that pretty 
striped member of the family, Lema asparagi. 
Professor Babington of Cambridge found many spe- 
cimens of the Macroplea Zosterce amidst a dense mass 
of leaves and stalks of the pectinated leaved pond-weed, 
Potamogeton pectinatus. They were always under the 
water. 
Family— CASSIDIDAE {The Tortoise Beetles). 
A very extensive family of Beetles, with highly- 
developed elytra — (see figure of the curiously per- 
forated Selenis spinifex, Coleoptera, Plate 3, fig. 14) 
It is a native of South America. See also figs. 1 2 and 
13 of the same plate, where is figured a Tortoi.se beetle, 
named kindly after the writer by Professor Boheman of 
Stockholm Prioptera Whit'd. Fig. 12 represents the 
perfect insect and its antennae, while fig. 13 is, as I 
believe, that of its larva just changing into the pupa, 
drawn from a specimen sent home by Mr. Fortune. 
In this country we occasionally find, on thistles, green 
species of Cassida very common. 
Many of the exotic species — such as the species of 
the genera Aspidimorpha and Coptocycla, which in 
cabinets are dull yellow, with cruciform brown marks, 
or dotted and circled or half-circled with black — when 
alive have the most glorious vivid golden hues pervad- 
ing them. 
Fig. 136. 
Mr. Smith kept a specimen of the Aspidimorpha 
sanctce crueis alive for several weeks, the common 
Indian species from Bombay, and most gloriously deco- 
