THE EUPODA, OE PHYTOPHAGA. 
203 
abroad ; but B. rufim.anns, almost equally large, 
abounds in bean-fields, &c., in the south of England ; 
all the members of the genus, indeed, being more 
or less attached to leguminous plants, and consequently 
noxious to man. Their larvae live in the seeds, con- 
suming all the internal parts, and changing to pupa 
within the skin ; the perfect insect escaping through a 
circular hole, previously bitten by the larva for that 
purpose. 
In the CHEYSOMELiDAi proper there is no rostrum, the 
antennas (whichare generally much shorterthantbebody) 
are straight, never elbowed or clavate, but either filiform, 
moniliform, or serrate, and with a short basal joint ; 
the head is sunk into the thorax as far as the eyes ; the 
parts of the mouth are but little prominent, the mandi- 
bles being short, triangular, and bifid or trifid at 
the apex, the maxillas formed of two lobes, of which the 
inner one is unarmed, and the palpi terminated by a 
subulate or short joint ; the elytra cover the sides of 
the abdomen, which is composed of five free ventral 
segments ; the femora are sometimes thickened ; the 
tibias usually not spurred at the apex, or very slightly 
so ; and the third joint of the tarsi bilobed. 
Its members are all essentially vegetable-feeders, 
very rarely attaining any large size, mostly oval and 
convex in shape ; diurnal in habits, though (except 
the Ilalticina) slow in their movements ; and generally 
punctate-striate, and of bright metallic hues. 
Our species are divided into nine tribes — the 
Sagrina, Bonaciina, Criocerina, Clythrina, Crypto- 
cephalina, Chrysomelvna, Qalerucina, Halticina, and 
Cassidina.* 
* Mr. Rye (1st Edition, p. 211) regards these as families, 
