42 



INSECTS ABROAD. 



the word Mormo, 01 Mormon, bearing precisely the same signi- 

 fication as the old English Bugge, viz. some object of terror, and 

 the latter portion of the Avord signifying "a wolf." There is 

 certainly something very spectre-like and uncanny about the 

 look of this strange beetle, which looks as if it had been smashed 

 flat and in some strange way contrived to survive the accident 

 and to maintain life in its flattened condition. 



The name phyllodes is also Greek, and is taken from a word 

 signifying " a leaf." Indeed, anyone who is in the least conversant 

 with Insects Abroad must be struck with the singular resem- 

 bianco in shape between the Mormolyce and the Leaf Insects, 

 although they belong to totally different orders, one ranking 

 among the Beetles and the other among the locusts and arass- 

 hoppers. Just as the leaf insects can sit among the foliage of a 

 tree and be scarcely distinguishable, even by practised eyes, 

 from the living leaves, so can the Mormolyce, which is one of 

 the groundlings, sit among the brown and withered leaves which 

 have fallen from the branches, and be equally indistinguishable 

 from them. Whether these remarkable resemblances were in- 

 tended for the purpose of protection is very doubtful, but there 

 is no doubt that, whatever may be their object, tlfey certainly 



perform that office when- 

 ever the Beetle ventures 

 by day from the shelter 

 of the fungus-home in 

 which it generally hides 

 itself during the hours of 

 sunshine. As, however, the 

 Iioetle very seldom does 

 so venture, its convenient 

 resemblance to a withered 

 leaf can scarcely be in- 

 tended for defence 



V * 



In- 1 ) — Rnrclfidns 

 (Sliinins Mark.) 



The tribe of the Siagonides is represented by the insect which 

 is known by the name oi Enceladus gigas. 

 Tin's is a remarkably fine and conspicuous insect, of elegant, 



shape, and notable for the very broad collar which separates the 

 thick, broad head from the thorax. The colour of the insect 

 is very Bhining black, and the elytra are covered with bold, 



