A SPIKE-AHMED BEETLE. 273 



shoulders of the elytra. The colour of the thorax is black, and 

 that of the elytra is a lovely rich purple, with a silky or satiny 

 lustre. They are thickly covered with punctures, and on exa- 

 mination with the microscope the purple is seen to be produced 

 by means of the punctures, which are nearly equally crimson 

 and blue, so that the blending of the two hues in the eye has 

 exactly the same effect as if the colours had been mixed and 

 laid on the insect with a brush. The silky gloss is given by the 

 punctures, which are small and set very closely together. On 

 each of the elytra are two large round yellow spots, one near the 

 shoulder and the other near the tip. 



There are several species of this genus, among which may be 

 noticed Eumorphus dilatatus, which is yellow, with the raised 

 portion of the elytra dark brown ; and Eumorphus bijnonctatus, 

 which has, as its name implies, two large black spots on a yellow 

 ground. This is the largest of all the genus, and is a really 

 handsome insect. 



The larva of one species of Endomychus was found by the 

 late Eev. F. W. Hope feeding on fungi under the bark of the 

 willow-tree, and by him given to Mr. Westw T ood. It exactly 

 looks, but for its colour, like that of the Silpha. The head is 

 rather small, forming a curious contrast to the three segments 

 corresponding with the thorax of the future Beetle, and which 

 in this larva are of enormous comparative size. The remaining 

 segments, which correspond to the abdomen, are rather flattened, 

 and each of them is turned up at the side and produced into a 

 sort of hook. 



It seems strange that in- 

 sects differing so much in ap- 

 pearance as the last-mentioned 

 'Beetle, and that which -is here 

 shown, could belong to the 

 same group, and yet this is the 

 case. 



We have seen examples of 



, ., . . , , ,, . Fig. 137.— Anipliisternus Satanas. 



several spiky insects, but tins (Deep violet.) 



is by far the spikiest of them 



all. Indeed, when it sits with its legs drawn up to the body, 



it is scarcely possible to distinguish, without some little trouble, 



