754 



INSECTS ABROAD. 



visible even without the aid of a lens, and even in death they 

 retain something of the sheen which makes them so beautiful in 

 life. The pattern on the centre of the wing is yellow and brown. 



Another species of tliis genus, Acanthomera magnifica, is 

 shown on Plate XX. Fig. 2. It inhabits South America. The 

 abdomen is rich ruddy chestnut, and the thorax is silver-grey, 

 striped with dark brown. The thighs are yellow, and the rest 

 of the leg brown. The wings are very pale yellow, with a slight 

 pattern of brown on them. 



With the genus Mydas we close our account of the Tabanid?e. 

 Our first example, Mydas Jilatus, is a native of North America, 

 and is rather a handsome insect. Its general colour is dark 



Fig. 495.- Mydas filatus. 

 (Brown and yellow.) 



brown, relieved by a broad yellow band at the base of the abdo- 

 men. The wings are brown and iridescent. One of the most 

 beautiful of the genus is Mydas dives of Brazil, in which the 

 body is shining metallic blue. 



The largest of these insects is Mydas giganteus, also a native 

 of Brazil, which is shown on Plate XX. Fig. 3. It appears at 

 first sight to be black, but in a good light is seen to be of a very 



