WASP BEETLES. 239 



Whether with wings spread or closed, this Beetle bears a most 

 singular resemblance to a very large hornet. 



The thorax is bright yellow, and when examined by the aid of 

 a magnifier, the colour is seen to be produced by a quantity of 

 hair-like scales which look very much as if they had been twisted 

 into loose ropes, coiled backwards and forwards on the insect, and 

 then pressed flat. The centre of the thorax is always darker 

 than the sides, and in some specimens has well-defined edges like 

 the ace of diamonds turned black. The elytra are covered with 

 similar scales, of a dark chestnut colour, and the greater part of 

 the abdomen is of the same bright hue as the thorax. 



There is, however, a broad jetty-black belt across the middle 

 of the abdomen, and several black spots on its sides, which are 

 flattened and turned up, so as to form a sort of flat open box in 

 which the wings can lie. The part of the abdomen which lies 

 under the elytra is also black. The ample wings are sinning 

 vellow, and much resemble, both in colour and outline, the wiii<>s 

 of a hornet united and spread for flight. 



Like many Longicorn Beetles, this is an exceedingly variable 

 insect both in size and colour, some specimens being barely one- 

 fourth as large as that from which the description was taken ; 

 while some, instead of bright yellow scales, are clothed in a suit 

 of dull brown. 



There are several species of this genus, the most remarkable 

 of which is Hesthesis cinc/ulatus, which is almost startlingly like 

 one of our common sand-wasps, being black, with two yellow 

 bars across the abdomen, which is narrowed at the base, then 

 swells out boldly, and then tapers rapidly to a point exactly 

 like that of the sand-wasp. Indeed, anyone not practically 

 acquainted with entomology might be excused for thinking that 

 it was armed with a sting. 



With regard to the name of these insects, I accept it because 

 it is given by Lacordaire, whose arrangement is employed in the 

 British Museum. But I only accept it under protest. Had the 

 name of the group been given as Usthesides, and that of the 

 genus as Esthcsis, it would have been perfectly correct. Esthesis 

 is a Greek word signifying " clothing," and referring to the dense 

 coat of hair-like scales with which the body is clothed. But there 

 is no aspirate, and the " c " in the middle of the word ought to be 

 " s" as any of my readers may see by reference to a Greek lexicon. 



