452 



INSECTS ABROAD. 



patch of orange. The wings are brown, firm, and with a highly 

 polished surface. Formerly, this insect was called by the 

 specific name of tropicus, but it is now known that this name 

 belongs rightly to a smaller species also from North America. 



In all insects there is a very great difference between good 

 and bad specimens, and sometimes the difference is so great 

 that they hardly seem to belong to the same species. This is 

 peculiarly the case with the insect which is called Pompilus 

 Gravcsii, A specimen in bad condition betrays no beauty of 

 colour, but looks simply of a dull yellow brown, with a few 

 spots of a golden hue when the light shines upon the more pro- 

 jecting portions. But a speci- 

 men in really good condition 

 is a splendid insect, looking 

 just as if it had been cut out 

 of pure gold. Mr. F. Smith 

 tells me that the late Mr. 

 Cuming had some thirty 

 specimens, and their appear- 

 ance as they were massed to- 

 gether in the box was simply 

 gorgeous. 



This golden lustre is given 

 by the hairs with which the 

 whole body, including the head, is thickly covered. The hairs lie 

 very flat to the body and are nearly parallel, all the points being 

 directed baekwards. Even in the imperfect specimens a good 

 magnifying glass will, with the assistance of a strong light, bring 

 out the golden lustre which the unaided eye cannot detect. The 

 wings are yellow, and each of the upper pair is marked with 

 two squared black spots. This insect is exceedingly variable 

 in form. It is never larger than the figure, but is often much 

 smaller — some specimens scarcely exceeding the common house- 

 fly in size. 



In the British Museum the insect appears under the generic 

 name of Para pompilus, Mr. F. Smith having comprised under 

 that title all the short-winged Pompili. The name Qramsii is 

 rather an unfortunate one, because it expresses nothing of the 

 characteristics of the insect. The name spedosus had been 



Fio. 233. — Pompilns Qravesii 

 (Shining gold.) 



