LARVA OF THE TOETOISE BEETLE. 263 



fall to the ground, but this is not the case with the larvae of the 

 Tortoise Beetles and one or two other insects. Each portion as 

 it is ejected is received upon a sort of forked appendage to the 

 tail, which is turned over the body. It rapidly becomes dry, 

 and in its turn is pushed forwards by those that successively 

 follow it. In this way a sort of cover or shield is formed, which 

 completely covers the body, and so disguises its appearance that 

 no one who was not acquainted with its appearance would 

 recognise it. When the cover becomes too heavy and unwieldy, 

 it is thrown off, and another soon takes it place. 



There are many species of Mesomphalia, some of which are 

 very curious insects. Such, for example, is Mesomphalia latevit- 

 tata, in which the elytra look exactly as if they were made of 

 the thinnest tortoiseshell, the flattened edge being black. Then 

 there is Mesomphalia /estiva, a lovely and most variable insect. 

 The whole of the upper surface is covered with a beautiful net-like 

 pattern, which is mostly green, but in some specimens is blue, 

 in others copper, in others purple, and in some is composed of a 

 mixture of these colours. Mesomphalia discoides is either green 

 or black, but always has a row of large yellow spots across the 

 middle of the elytra. And lastly, Mesomp>halia dissccta is pale 

 yellow, but has the elytra traversed by a few narrow red lines 

 which divide them into eight portions, very much like the pieces 

 of a dissected puzzle. 



The name Mesomphalia is Greek, and refers to the rounded 

 shape of the centre of the elytra. It is formed from two words, 

 one of which signifies " the middle," and the other " a boss " or 

 rounded projection. 



The variety of form which is seen among insects is really 

 endless, and, no matter how deep and practical may be the 

 experience of an entomologist, he is perpetually discovering 

 varieties of form where he least expects them, and for which he 

 cannot even conjecture the use. Such is the case with the 

 singular genus of Tortoise Beetles, one of which is here shown. 



As a rule, the elytra of the Tortoise Beetles are quite smooth, 

 but in these insects there is a most singular development of 

 them. Close to the suture, and not very far from the base, each 

 elytron is furnished with a single spike, which runs upwards 

 quite perpendicularly. So upright are these spikes, and so closely 



