

BEAUTIFUL ELYTRA. 



841 



which are of a very brilliant green. The elytra are also dull 

 green, so that when they are closed there is nothing remarkable 

 about the insect's appearance. Towards the end of each elytron 

 there are a number of squared reddish brown spots, arranged 

 with perfect regularity at a little distance from each other, so 

 that when examined with a magnifying glass the end of the 

 elytron looks as if it were a network of square green meshes, 

 each mesh having a chestnut centre. 



The wings themselves are shining black, but each wing has a 

 large patch of bright yellow extending in a fan-like shape from 

 the base nearly to the edge, and just beyond this patch are two 

 large oval spots of a similar hue. Indeed, the two colours are 

 so equally divided, that it is not easy to say definitely whether 

 the black or the yellow be tlie ground hue of the w^ing. The 

 reader will see, by looking at the figure, and remembering the 



Fiu. 170.— Clmiinarns coloraTa. 

 (Green; wiugs black, witli yeilow iiiaik.s.) 



colours, liow very different must be the aspect of the insect when 

 flying, with its beautiful black and yellow wings expanded, and 

 when at rest, with those wings folded away under the dull 

 green elytra. 



The generic name Chroniacris is Greek, and ,'^iguifies "a 

 coloured grasshopper," and the Latin specific title of colorcda 

 carries its own interpretation. Some allied species have the 

 colon ling of the wings arranged after a similar fashion, except 

 that the yellow is replaced by scarlet. 



