TH-E I'URPLE THESPIR. 



295 



The remarkable insect which is represented in the illustration 

 below is called Thespis purpurascens, the latter name being 

 given to it on accou-nt of the splendid purple hue with which 

 a portion of the wings is coloured. The specimen in the 

 British Museum is, I believe, unique. It was brought from Ega, 

 in South America, by Mr. Bates. 



When the wings are closed, the creature looks much like one 

 of the ordinary " walking-stick " insects, some of which will 

 be presently described ; both the elytra and wings lying quite 

 closely to the body, and the latter being only slightly darker 

 than the general hue. The head is set cross-wise, like that of 



the Hammer-headed Shark, or, to use a more familiar example, 

 like the head of our common Demoiselle Dragon-flies. 



When the wings are opened and spread, a wonderful store of 

 splendid colouring is displayed. The basal portion of each wing 

 is very pale brown, and is covered with multitudinous tiny pen- 

 cillings of snowy white. The rest of the wing is bright yellow, 

 on which are two large marks of deep shining purple, rather 

 tending to red on the upper surface and to blue on the lower, 

 which is more brilliant than the upper. All the legs, even the 

 raptorial pair, are very long and slender. 



There are several species of Thespis, but this is by far the 

 most beautiful, though not the largest. One species, Thespis 

 ingens, is of very great size, but has very small and absolutely 

 useless wings ; while Thespis Bcvfica, although not brilliantly 



