760 



INSECTS ABROAD. 



On Plate XX. Fig 4 is seen an insect called Phellus glaucus, 

 an inhabitant of Western Australia. The specimen from which 

 the figure was drawn is in Mr. Saunders' collection. 



The colour of the thorax is black, fringed with pale yellow 

 hairs. The ground colour of the abdomen is bright deep blue, 

 clothed with short black hairs. The first two segments are also 

 covered with long, thick, yellow down. The legs are black and 

 covered with short black hairs, changing to tawny at the ends 

 of the tarsi. The wings are blackish brown at the base, and the 

 rest is grey, traversed with black veins. 



I PRESUME that the accompanying insect derives its specific 

 name from the colours which it wears, which are those of the 

 traditional stage demons. It is a native of Brazil. ' 



Nearly the whole . of 



.^^^N.,^ the insect is black, and 



- -- ' - ' ^^ — - it is entirely covered 



-^ ' -" with thick down. At the 



junction of the abdomen 



with the thorax there is 



a semicircular patch of 



long orange hairs, an 



there is a broad band of 



the same hue across the 



middle of the abdomen. 



The thighs of the hind 



legs are fringed with very 



long black hairs above, 



and covered with white down below. Th-e wings are smooth, 



shining brown in colour, and iridescent with various tints of 



blue and purple. 



Fig. 503 — Asilus mfernalis. 

 (Black and j'ellow) 



Our last example of the family is Asilus coriarius, a native 

 of New Holland, which is represented as in the act of chasing 

 prey. The specific name coriarius is formed from a Latin word 

 signifying " the bark of a tree," and is given to the insect on 

 account of its resemblance in colour to the rough brown bark 

 of the oak or similar tree. 



The colour of the abdomen is warm brown, with a black bar 

 at its base, and a series of tufts of jet black hair along the sides. 



