l!58 INSECTS ABEOAD. 



signifies " spear-beaiing." It is given to the insects because the 

 mesosternum, i.e. the central portion of the lower side of the thorax, 

 is lengthened into a projecting spike of a spear-like form. The 

 reader may perhaps remember that in the Dyticus a somewhat 

 similar spike, only fork-headed, projects from the metasternum, 

 or third portion of the thorax. 



The beautiful species which is here shown is a native of 



Brazil. Its ground colour is yellow, and across the elytra are 



drawn five rows of squared black or chestnut spots. Tlie thorax, 



as is the case with nearly all the species, is plain, dark chestnut. 



Some of the species are worthy of 



notice for the way in which they are 



^^"\^^^_„=«.»^ coloured. Doryjjhora duodeclm- guttata, 



^"'^'•m'^^KSr^^ which is found in Para, is shining green, 



thickly punctated, and having six round 



yellow spots on each of the elytra. Dory- 



Ijlwra testado, of Bolivia, has five simikir 



marks and blue surface, the lowest being 



"5^^- ' heart-shaped. Borypliora pura is pale 



^lo. 124 -Doiyphora tesseiiata. gieeu, DoTijphora (Kneo-cpUtata iQ green, 



(Yellow, with black marks.) ^ud has a T-shaped mark upon the 



elytra, and a spot of the same colour on 



each shoulder. Dorypliora unijerialis, another Brazilian insect, 



is yellow, variegated M'itli green or black spots. 



Perhaps the most beautiful of them all is the largest of the 

 whole genus, and so called Dorypliora princcps. The colours of 

 this fine insect are so varied that it is not easily described. The 

 head is yellow, with a deep-blue circular spot on either side 

 The edges of the thorax are yellow, each having a similar blue 

 spot. On the middle of the thorax is a yellow mark much resem- 

 bling the ace of spades, and the rest of the thorax is deep shining 

 blue, thickly punctated. On each of the upper inner angles of 

 the elytra there is a large rounded yellow spot, a similar spot is at 

 their tip, a yellow band . is drawn across the middle, and the rest 

 of the elytra is deep blue, crossed with many zigzag black lines. 



The beautiful insect which is represented in the illustration 

 looks very tame in the plain black and white with which its 

 shape, but not its splemlid colour, is shown. In common with 

 most of its genus, it is a native of Brazil. 



