THE GIANT CATOXAXTHA. 151 



This is a very large genus, and has representatives from many 

 parts of the world. They are of various sizes and various 

 colours, most of them, however, being of brilliant hues, and 

 the thorax the most polished part. Some are simply brown, 

 black, or grey, while others are olive green or bright green. The 

 most curious of them in point of colour is Buprestis feldspathica, 

 in which the colour is purple, but highly iridescent, It comes 

 from Western Africa, 



The group or sub-family of the Chalcophoridae is represented 

 by one or two examples, the first of which is the handsome 

 Beetle called CatoxantJia aigantea, a native of India. 



Fio. 70. — Catoxantha gigantea. 

 (Green, yellow spots.) 



This splendid insect measures three inches in length, and 

 seven-eighths of an inch in width. It is flatter in form than the 

 last-mentioned species, and not so boldly punctured. The head 

 and thorax are very dark green, and on either side of the latter 

 there is a rounded patch, chestnut brown in colour, and covered 

 with deep punctures. Just at the base of the thorax are two 

 triangular depressions, one on either side of the central line. 

 The colour of the elvtra is bright, shining green, and on the 



