220 MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 



Hancock in Brazil, by the inequalities of its ruby-co- 

 loured surface, strikingly resembles some kinds of fruit. 

 And to make the series of imitations complete,, a mi- 

 nute black beetle, with ridges upon its elytra, (Onthophi- 

 lus sulcatus*)} when lying without motion, is very like the 

 seed of an umbelliferous plant. The dog-tick is not un- 

 like a small bean; which resemblance has caused a bean, 

 commonly cultivated as food for horses, to be called the 

 tick-bean. The Palma Christi, also, had probably the 

 name of Ricinus given to it from the similitude of its 

 seed to a tick. 



Another tribe of these little animals, before alluded to, 

 is secured from harm by a different kind of imitation, and 

 affords a beautiful instance of the wisdom of Providence 

 in adapting means to their end. Some singular larvae, 

 with a radiated anus b , live in the nests of humble-bees, 

 and are the offspring of a particular genus of flies, (Volu- 

 cella,) many of the species of which strikingly resemble 

 those bees in shape, clothing, and colour. Thus has 

 the Author of nature provided that they may enter these 

 nests and deposit their eggs undiscovered. Did these 

 intruders venture themselves amongst the humble-bees 

 in a less kindred form, their lives would probably pay the 

 forfeit of their presumption. Mr. Sheppard once found 

 one of these larvae in the nest of Bombus c Raiellus, but 

 we could not ascertain what the fly was. Perhaps it 

 might be Volucella bombylans, which resembles those 

 humble-bees that have a red anus d . 



8 Oliv. Entomolog. \. no. 8. 17. 



* PLATE XIX. FIG. 11. VOL. 1.267. Latreille Gen. Crust, et Ins. 

 iv. 322. e Apis. * * e. 2. K. 



d Dr. Fleming however, (in Lilwis,} doubts whether the reason 



