42 



INSECTS ABEOAD. 



the word Mormo, or Mormon, bearing precisely tlie same signi- 

 fication as the old English Bugge, viz. some object of terror, and 

 the latter portion of the word signifying " a wolf." There is 

 certainly something very spectre-like and uncanny about the 

 look of this strange beetle, which looks as if it had been smashed 

 flat and in some strange way contrived to survive the accident 

 and to maintain life in its flattened condition. 



The name phyllodcs is also Greek, and is taken from a word 

 signifying " a leaf." Indeed, anyone who is in the least conversant 

 with Insects Abroad must be struck with the singular resem- 

 blance in shape between the Mormolyce and the Leaf Insects, 

 although they belong to totally different orders, one ranking 

 among the Beetles and the other among the locusts and grass- 

 hoppei-s. Just as the leaf insects can sit among the foliage of a 

 tree and be scarcely distinguishable, even by practised eyes, 

 from the living leaves, so can the Mormolyce, which is one of 

 the groundlings, sit among the brown and withered leaves which 

 have fi^llen from the branches, and be equally indistinguishable 

 from them. AVhether these remarkable resemblances were in- 

 tended for the purpose of protection is very doubtful, but there 

 is no doubt that, ^\ilatever may be their object, they certainly 



perform that office when- 

 ever the Beetle ventures 

 l^y day from the shelter 

 of the fungus-home in 

 -which it generally hides 

 itself during the hours of 

 sunshine. As, however, the 

 Beetle \eTj seldom does 

 so venture, its convenient 

 i-esemblance to a withered 

 leaf can scarcely be in- 

 tended for defence. 



The tribe of the Siagoaides is represented l)y the insect which 

 is known by the name of Encdadus gigas. 



This is a remarknbly fine and consi)icuous insect, of elegant 

 shape, and notable for the very broad collar which separates the 

 thick, broad \wm\ from IIk^ tliorax. Tlte colour of the insect 

 is very sliini ng l)lack, and the elytra are covered with bold, 



