194 THE DRUNKEN BEETLE. 



are by many called Elephant Flies, from 

 the great resemblance of their heads to that 

 animal ; they are perfectly harmless, and are 

 caught only to be kept as cui'iosities. 



Atzcood's History of Dominica. 



ScARABMus Hercules. — The Hercules, 

 OR Drunken Beetle. 



This remarkable insect measures five or 

 six inches in length, the wing shells are of 

 a smooth surface, of a blueish or brownish 

 grey colour, sometimes nearly black, and 

 commonly marked with several small, round, 

 deep, black spots, of different sizes: the 

 head and limbs are coal black: from the 

 upper part of the breast or thorax proceeds 

 a horn or proboscis of enormous length, in 

 proportion to the body ; it is sharp at the 

 tip, where it curves slightly downwards, and 

 is marked beneath by two or three denticu- 

 lations, and furnished, throughout its whole 

 length, with a fine, short, velvet-like pile, 

 of a brownish orange colour : fi'om the front 

 of the head proceeds also a strong horn, 



