A BEAUTIFUL GENUS. 



3G1 



Several other species of this genus are remarkable for their 

 beauty. There is, for example, Euphcca tricolor, of Borneo, iu 

 which the wings are crimson, blue, and green, according to the 

 light in which they are viewed. Then, Euphcca refwlgens is of 



Fio. 176. — Euphcea splendens. 

 (Lower wings metallic green.) 



equal though more delicate beauty, the wings being shining, 

 opalescent, and looking exactly as if they had been made of 

 very thin flakes of mother-of-pearl. 



Both names of the insect whose portrait is given on the 

 next page are very appropriate, though not altogether classical. 



The generic name Megaloprepus is formed from two Greek 

 words, the former signifying " greatness," and the latter " con- 

 spicuousness." As may be seen from the illustration, in which, 

 for want of space, only one side of the insect is fully drawn, this 

 is a very large creature, or rather it spreads over a very large 

 space. No more material is used in its structure than in that 

 of the Dragon Flies, which have been already described. But 

 that material is so attenuated, both in length and width, that 

 the insect which is formed from it is really a large and 

 important one. 



A more conspicuous insect can hardly be imagined. Its head 



