206 
BRITISH BEETLES. 
of them, G. merdigera, of great rarity here, though 
sometimes occurring near London in the flowers of 
lilies, is, when alive, of a bright scarlet colour, which 
fades after death. The eggs of this insect are laid 
on lily-leaves, and glued together; and the young 
larvae, when hatched, feed for some time gregariously, 
though separating as they grow older. These larvae 
defend themselves from the heat of the sun, &c., 
by covering their backs with their own excrement, 
gradually pushed from tho end of the intestinal canal, 
the opening of which is situated on the back of the 
last segment. This coating dries into a hard layer, 
from which the larva can free itself at pleasure. 
When full grown it descends to the ground, in which 
it forms a polished oval cell. 
G. asparagi (Plate XIV., Fig. 3), a smaller and 
much more abundant species, is very prettily marked, 
and sometimes does considerable damage to aspara- 
gus, on which its short, fleshy, grey larvae feed. This 
insect has been observed to make a squeaking noise, 
similar to that of the Longicomia above mentioned. 
The Clythrina have the head vertical, and the 
antennae serrate and short ; their larvae live in hairy, 
leathery cases, which they drag about, with their 
head and legs protruding from the narrow end ; and 
have, when taken out of their covering, much the 
appearance of those of the small Lamellicornia. 
Our species are by no means common ; occurring 
in woods, where they have been bred from ants’ nests. 
G. tridentata, a greyish brown insect, with blue-black 
head, thorax, and limbs, has very long front legs; 
and C. quadripuiictnta, as its name implies, may be 
distinguished by its four black spots. 
