114 INSECTS ABROAD. 



lias just beeu described, and the curious insect wliicli is sliowu 

 ill the illustration below. Tlie genus to which it beloni:s 

 is distinguished by the hard and rounded body, the very long 

 curved legs, and the general crab-like look of the insects. They 

 are spread over a considerable portion of the globe, and, indeed, 

 few of tlie warmer parts seem to be without them. IMany 

 species, such as our present example, inhabit Southern Africa; 

 one, Sisyphus Sclimfferi, is known to be European; and others 

 are Asiatic. The most remai'kable of the latter is the smalk'st 

 of the genus, called Sistjphus minntus, the body of wliich is 

 scarcely as large as a swan-shot. 



All the legs of the Sisyphus are enormously lengthened, and 

 are bent in a most singular fashion, the peculiar curvature not 

 being properly visible unless the insect be viewed from behind 



and nearly at the level of 

 the eye. This peculiar form 

 of tlie leg is probably useful 

 to the insect in rolling its 

 egg-balls. 



" The colftur of this Beetle 

 is dull brownish black, bui 

 upon the elytra are a number 



Fig 52 -Si-,yi.Iuis muucatus ^f ixxhn of jct-black doWIlV 



hairs, that stand boldly from 

 the surface on which they are planted, and are very con- 

 spicuous. The thorax is covered with a coating of very shoit 

 and veiy dense down of a dark-brown hue, something like tlie 

 fur of the mole. All these insects fly well, and, like our 

 common Rose Beetles, keep the elytra almost closed, instead of 

 spreading them as most Beetles do, when they fly. 



The generic name of Sisyphus is given to these Beetles because 

 their task of rolling their egg-balls has an evident analogy witli 

 that of the mythological Sisyphus. The specific name murimtus 

 signifies "spiky," or "prickly," and is given to the insect on 

 ac'count of the bold spike-like hair-tufts with which its elytra 

 are studded. The word conies from the Latin murex, a whelk, 

 which, in the plural {murices), was employed to signify caltrops, 

 or "crow's feet," i.e. iron spikes thrown on the ground to arrest 

 the progress of cavalry. 



1 cannot quit these insects without quoting a few extracts 



^^£ 



