THE EUPODA, OB PHYTOPHAGA. 
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with the last joint pointed ; and the legs -contractile, 
projecting slightly beyond the elytra, with simple un- 
spurred tibiae, and short broad tarsi, of which the third 
joint is deeply bilobed, and encloses the apical joint. 
They are found during the summer months on 
thistles, wild mint, &c. ; and, ou account of their 
extremely quiescent nature, slightly convex upper 
surface, and flat under-side, resemble certain Cocci 
rather more than beetles. Our species are mostly 
bright green (not metallic) when alive, fading after 
death to a much duller colour : many of them are 
prettily variegated with brown speckles or red stains 
( Cassida sanguinolenta, Plate XV., Pig. 3) ; and one, 
C. vittata, found very rarely, — I believe ou ragwort, — 
is banded alternately with deep black and bright red. 
A few, fouud chiefly on the sea-coast, are most 
beautifully and broadly striped on each wing-case with 
gold ; but this appearance, requiring a certain amount 
of moisture, fades with the life of the creature. It 
has been stated that glycerine, applied under the 
elytra, will not only retain the lustre in fresh examples, 
but renew it in old ones : I have, however, tried this 
plan without success. Varnishing the outside is of no 
avail, as it is from the inside that the colour proceeds. 
One of these adorned insects, C. ollonga, occurs 
plentifully on tho south coast, on Salicomia, in tufts of 
grass, &c. Its lovely green ground-colour is relieved 
by slightly pink edges, and the golden stripe partakes 
also of the hues of the emerald. 
The larvae in this family have an ingenious but un- 
pleasant habit of forming their excremont into an 
umbrella, as in Crioceris. They are broad and flat, 
with short legs ; beset on the sides with long setose 
