180 INSECTS ABKOAD. 



prepare it) was made from the Blaps, lie proceeds as follows : — 

 " These little creatures, though they are baleful to nature itself, 

 to men and bees, yet (xod hath endued them with sundry 

 virtues, in which they excel the Blattse Bizantine, For take off 

 his shell or mail, which is thin between its head (called papaver) 

 and its neck, what doth the belly contain but the ornament to 

 dye withall, and to delight the eyes with their colour ? And be 

 it so that princes and great men will buy it though never so 

 dear, and by the greatness of the price make it only fit for kings 

 to wear; yet notwithstanding when you have heard the virtues 

 of these Blattse, otherwise so contemptible, you will say they are 

 far more esteemed than purple." 



The same writer then proceeds to affirm that the Blaps is a 

 certain cure for ear-ache if beaten up with old wine, honey, 

 pomegranate-rind, unguentum Syriacmn, apple-juice, tar, and 

 onion. This delightful mixture is to be boiled in a pipkin, and 

 when cold to be poured into the ear. 



The reader will remember that many of the dark-bodied 

 Heteromera are very dull and slow in their movements. In 

 allusion to this disposition the name oi Moluridcc, or "sluggish," 



is given to the vast family of Beetles. The particular species 

 which has been chosen as the representative is Moluris 

 Rowleyiana. Moluris is one of the many genera that have 

 been made out of Pimelia, which may almost be called a genus 

 of all work, or a refuge for destitute Heteromera, so large did it 



