366 
COLEOPTERA. 
Cassidince.—Tortoise Beetles. The characteristic of these beetles is 
the flattening of the body and the extension of the pronotum over the 
head. The form is oval or rounded; 
the outline of the extended pro¬ 
thorax continuous with that of 
the elytra and giving the insect the 
appearance of a tortoise. The co¬ 
louring is either dull green or dry 
grass colour, or is peculiarly brilli¬ 
ant, the living insect having a glit¬ 
tering golden hue with a ground tint 
of red, pink or green. In appear¬ 
ance these are perhaps the most 
striking of all insects, living jewels 
of the most delicate beauty. The 
object of this colouring is not clear, 
though the dull green ones are evidently cryptic, in conjunction with 
their form and immobile attitude on the plant. 
A B 
Fig. 243. - A SPJDOMOBPHA M1LIAR1S, 
A. Egg mass, B. Larva, 
C. Pupa, D. Imago. 
Few details are available as to 
types, single eggs laid on the leaf 
Fig. 244.— Larva of metriona 
CIRCUMDATA. 
the life-history. Eggs are of two 
(' Coptocycla ), egg masses containing 
many eggs (As'pidomorpha ); larvae 
are flattened, with processes bear¬ 
ing spines, with three pairs of legs 
and having an anal process which 
can be turned over the dorsum 
and bears the dried excreta. We 
figure such a larva (Plate XXIV). 
These larvae are found on the 
leaves of their foodplants and. in 
the moist tropical zones where 
they are of large size, they are 
extremely striking. Their food is 
the epidermis or tissues of the leaf 
and they are nocturnal in habit as 
a rule. Pupation takes place on 
the leaf and the processes on the 
body are a marked feature of thes? 
