There are few persons who have not been attracted by the 

 wonderfully brilliant eyes of these insects, which are, when 

 alive, like the head of a highly polished gold pin ; and their 

 green wings reflect the most lovely rose-colour and blue. The 

 larvae are very curious animals, and are well represented 

 in the 6Gth Plate of Sovverby's Brit. Mis., and also in the 3rd 

 vol. of Reaumur: they are most singularly formed, and their 

 appearance is rendered more grotesque by their bodies being 

 covered with the skins of their victims, the Aphides, on which 

 they live ; and by this means they render themselves almost 

 invisible amongst the Lichen on the trunks of trees where they 

 resort. Their eggs are not less worthy of notice, being pro- 

 tected from the attacks of parasitic and other insects by being 

 attached to the end of a long stiff filament, the base of which 

 is fastened to a leaf, as represented in our Plate. 



The following species have been detected in Britain, ana 

 they are all found in June, July, and August. 



1. fulvocephala Sam. — fulviceps Stej). Considerably like the following in 



colour, but the wings are longei", the nervures lighter, and the costa is 

 not brown at the apex. 



2. capitata Fah. Fuscous, head orange, wings iridescent, nervures and 



stigma brown ; legs pale testaceous. 



3. reticulata Lea. — Scheef. Icon. tab. 5./. 7 Sf 8. — chrysops Linn. Green, 



head and thorax spotted with black, sides of abdomen and most of the 

 transverse nervures of the wings black. 



Always found in woods in June; New Forest, Coomb and 

 Darent-woods. 



S"". ventralis Curt. Pale or yellowish green ; antennas fuscous at the apex, 

 with a black dot between the basal joints, another before each eye, 2 

 on the back and 2 on each side of the prothorax, and 2 between the 

 anterior wings ; underside of the abdomen piceous, except at the apex : 

 wings with short and pale pubescence, and a few of the nervures par- 

 tially piceous. 



3*. abbreviata Curt. Brit. Ent. pi. .520. S . Bright green, wings compara- 

 tively short and ovate, beautifully ornamented with blue and rose 

 colour, the stigma and nervures bright green, producing distinct black 

 hairs ; tarsi and antenuje dull ochre, with a black dot on the upper side 

 of the basal joint of the latter, and another between them, 2 others on 

 the crown and a curved black line at the base, a black dot at the base 

 of each wing, and the hairs on the abdomen of the same colour. 

 Taken by Mr. Dale on the sand hills at Appledore and 



Ravenglass, and on the Marrams near Yarmouth, by Mr. C. 



J. Paget, in June. 



4. alba Linn. — Panz. 87. 14.? "White, eyes brassy-green. Like C. Perla, 



but smaller." 



5. afhnis Lea. — Roesel. tab. 21./. 5.? Is considerably smaller than the fol- 



lowing, I believe. 



6. Perla Linn.— Scheef. Icon. tab. 9. f. 2. ^- 3.t—Pa7iz. 87. 13.?— Z)ow. 8. 



277. 2.? " Yellowish green, wings hyaline with green veins." 

 Common in gardens, orchards, &c. 



The Plant is Elijmiis arenarius (Upright Sea Lime-grass), 

 communicated by Jas. Paget, Esq., from Caistor, Norfolk. 





