L\-.U 



insects ai:i;mai>. 



in others. They are exceedingly beautiful, even if viewed with 

 the naked eye, and much more so when the magnifying glass is 

 brought to bear upon them. Their colour is a soft blue grey, 

 with a sort of a chalky look about the surface. This effect, when 

 the antennae are examined with a microscope, is seen to be pro- 

 duced by the grey scales with which the entire organ is covered. 

 As if in order to break the uniformity of the antenna;, the end 

 of each joint is jetty black. 



There are many species of this group, and many of them are 

 beautifully coloured. Among the more conspicuous insects we 

 may note Sternotomus Bohcmanna, a Beetle of a shining green 

 colour, covered with a multitude of chocolate spots and stripes. 

 Sternotomus hifasciata is chocolate, with blue bands on its head, 

 thorax, and elytra. Sternotomus mirahUis is black, with green 

 stripes and spots; and Sternotomus regalis is black, with multi- 

 tudinous green and chocolate marks. Its antennae are peculiarly 

 Ions and slender. 



Another African group of Beetles, the Tragocephalides, now 

 comes before us. This word is Greek, and signifies "goat- 

 headed." 



There are very many species belonging to this group, all of 

 which are remarkable for the velvet-black of their surface, upon 



Pig. 119 fr-agoo phalos variegatuB. 

 (Velvi t-blaci and orange.) 



which are markings of sundry other hues. Our first example, 

 Tragocephalus varicgatus, has more of the lighter blue than the 

 darker colour, and is bright orange. Two bold, black velvety 



