52 INSECTS ABROAD. 



according to zoological custom, although uot nearly so appro- 

 priate as Mr. Westwood's name, it must be retained. 



All the three pairs of legs are very short in proportion to the 

 size of the insect. As the Beetle is long-bodied, almost cylin- 

 drical, short-limbed, and possessed of powerful jaws, it has 

 much the look of a boring insect, something like our own 

 familiar little Beetle, Clivinafossor, which this insect very much 

 resembles in general form. Nothing, however, is known of its 

 habits, as is unfortunately too often the case with foreign insects. 

 It is very rare, and neither of the two specimens in the British 

 Museum is perfect. 



The important and interesting family of the Scaritidse is re- 

 presented by the largest known species, which is shown of its 

 natural size on Plate I. Fig. 6. There is some difficulty about 

 the name of this insect. It is called by one author Scaritarchus 

 Midas, by another Scarites gigas, by another MouJiotia glorissa, 

 &c. These names, however, have been resolved into two, both 

 of which were given in 1862. Mouliotia glorissa was published 

 a few months before its rival, and therefore is retained. Still, 

 the first of these names is infinitely the better. The word Scari- 

 tarchus signifies " chief of the Scarites," or, to transpose the two 

 portions of the word, " Arch-Scarites;" while the specific name 

 Midas is singularly appropriate, referring to the golden lustre 

 which makes the insect so conspicuous even at a distance. 



In this fine Beetle the chief characteristics of the Scaritides 

 are well shown, and almost exaggerated. These Beetles have 

 the tibiae of the fore legs broad, strong, and notched, evidently 

 for the purpose of enabling them to dig in the ground. In this 

 species the legs are not only powerful, but peculiarly long, and 

 the tibiae of the front pair are armed with three formidable teeth 

 or spikes on the outer edge, those of the middle pair having two 

 similar teeth. In fact, the Beetle has altogether a very spiky 

 look, and would be very disagreeable if handled carelessly. The 

 hind legs have not the spikes, but they have sometimes a 

 tubercle or projection marking the spot where the spikes might 

 be expected to be. 



For every reason it is a very conspicuous insect. In the first 

 place, it well deserves the name of Scaritarchus, for it looks 

 among its kin like an elephant among Shetland ponies. It is 



