Colenso. — On a new Species of Coccinella. 41 



Obs. Although I have long known this pretty little insect, I 



have never before thought of describing it : partly from the 



great number of species of this genus already known, which 



(without their equally numerous varieties), it is said, amount to 



upwards of a thousand :: ; partly from it so closely resembling 



(in its general appearance) some of our British species ; and 



partly from its extreme rarity. I do not think I have seen, 



altogether, a dozen specimens in 50 years ! — in this respect so 



widely different to what obtains of some of their commoner 



(yet similar) species in England. Indeed, I may truly say that 



the capture or sight of one of these interesting little and rare 



creatures — so very like the tiny " Ladybirds " of England in 



size, shape, colour, and spots — always served to conjure up 



pleasant old reminiscences of childhood, and of the old childish 



couplet, potently repeated in days of infancy over the pretty 



"Ladybirds" when caught, and watching them taking flight 



from one's hand : — 



"Ladybird, Ladybird, fiy away home; 

 Your house is on fire, your children are gone!" 



The under-wings of this species seem to me to be much 

 larger than those of the British species of a similar size of body ; 

 and I think this species is therefore a better flyer, more active 

 and vigilant, and consequently more rarely at rest and difficult 

 of capture : if, as I have supposed, its wings be larger, it may 

 keep at a higher range on trees and shrubs in search for its 

 natural food. 



I have kept one a fortnight under glass, during which time 

 it was in ceaseless activity, and as I did not procure for it its 

 natural or suitable food, it fasted the whole of that period, and 

 was as lively at the close (when I put it into spirits) as at the 

 beginning. While in captivity, I noticed a peculiarity it had : 

 on being irritated, or alarmed, it would exude many minute 

 drops or specks of a yellowish, sticky, semi-fluid substance on 

 to tbe sides of the glass in which I kept it. I now find that 

 this peculiarity had also been long ago observed in the Northern 

 Hemisphere species. Westwood says: "When alarmed, they 

 fold up their legs and emit a mucilaginous yellow fluid from the 

 joints of the limbs, having a very powerful and disagreeable 

 scent, and which, according to some writers, is an admirable 

 specific against tooth-ache " (loc. cit.). I did not, however, 

 notice the powerful odour mentioned by Westwood. 



Although this genus is an old established and very large 

 one, many of its species being almost cosmopolite, and the 



* " The species are difficult to discriminate, and number upwards of a 

 thousand." ("Guide to the Study of Insects," Packard, p. 511.) "These 

 insects are among the most variable and difficult, as to their specific dis- 

 crimination, of all the Coleoptera." (" Introduction to the Classification of 

 Insects," Westwood, vol. i., p. 396.) 



