RESEMBLANCES AMONG ANIMALS. 97 



beautiful Gymnocerous dulcissimus is also very like 

 the same group of insects, though there is no known 

 species that exactly corresponds to it ; but this is not 

 to be wondered at, as the tropical Hemiptera have 

 been comparatively so little cared for by collectors. 



Insects mimicking Species of other Orders. 



The most remarkable case of an insect of another 

 order mimicking a beetle is that of the Condylodera 

 tricondyloides, one of the cricket family from the Phi- 

 lippine Islands, which is so exactly like a Tricondyla 

 (one of the tiger beetles), that such an experienced 

 entomologist as Professor Westwood placed it among 

 them in his cabinet, and retained it there a long time 

 before he discovered his mistake ! Both insects run 

 along the trunks of trees, and whereas Tricondylas are 

 very plentiful, the insect that mimics it is, as in all 

 other cases, very rare. Mr. Bates also informs us that 

 he found at Santarem on the Amazon, a species of 

 locust which mimicked one of the tiger beetles of the 

 genus Odontocheila, and was found on the same trees 

 which they frequented. 



There are a considerable number of Diptera, or two- 

 winged flies, that closely resemble wasps and bees, 

 and no doubt derive much benefit from the whole- 

 some dread which those insects excite. The Midas 

 dives, and other species of large Brazilian flies, have 

 dark wings and metallic blue elongate bodies, resem- 

 bling the large stinging Sphegidae of the same coun- 

 try; and a very large fly of the genus Asilus has 



H 



