310 INSECTS ABROAD. 



leaves, which it greedily consumes. It walks with a very vacil- 

 lating motion, and, when resting, extends its fore-legs along the 

 head, so as to defend the antennae. It is tenacious of life. It 

 occurs in the imago state throughout the year. 



" The female deposits twenty-two eggs from September to 

 November. These eggs are oval and greatly resemble a legu- 

 minous seed, having numerous scattered impressed dots and an 

 elongated chain-like spot. The operculum at one end is distinct, 

 and impressed like a honeycomb. The eggs are retained for a 

 long time in the ovipositor at the extremity of the abdomen 

 before tliey are relinquished by the parent insect, which rejects 

 them without any attention. According to Stoll, the eggs are 

 dejjosited in the earth like those of the locusts. 



" The egg-state continues from seventy-nine to one hundred 

 days ; the larva is hatched from May to August. The young 

 larva has all the appearance of the imago, but differs in its 

 colours. After throwing off its first exuviae, it grows rapidly 

 until the horns of the head appear. If it lose a leg by violence, 

 this is reproduced, but of a smaller size, in the next moulting. 

 The pupa scarcely differs in any respect from the imago." 



The generic name Bacillus, or, as it ought rightly to be, 

 Bacillum, is Latin, signifying " a little stick." The specific 

 name Natalis refers to Natal, in which district it is found. The 

 female of this insect is much shorter and thicker than the male. 

 The colour is yellowish green daring life, and there is a white 

 line running along each side of the head, the thorax, and part of 

 the abdomen. 



Again we are obliged to employ a reduced figure, though in this 

 case the reduction is not so great as in one or two of the Phas- 

 midse which have just been described. The present species, 

 Necroscia Zeuxis, measures four inches in length Irom head to 

 tail, so that it is really a large though not a gigantic insect. 



The genus is a very large one, comprising about ninety species, 

 and it has rather a large geographical extent, being found in 

 most of the islands of the Indian Ocean, and over India gene- 

 rally. Of this species only one specimen is in the British 

 Museum, and this was taken in Borneo. 



Even in its dried state it is a beautiful insect, and when 

 alive must have l)een lovely. Its beauty depends mostly upon 



