75U 



INSECTS ABROAD. 



legs." These creatures strike unutterable terror into many minds, 

 the generality of people thinking that they possess venomous 

 stings, while others are almost equally terrified by the legs, 

 which to them are inexpressibly revolting. Why anyone should 

 object to an insect's legs is rather unaccountable. That they 

 should fear the sting or the jaws is intelligible enough, but that 

 they should fear the legs more than the wings is not so easily 

 understood. 



The present species may perhaps lay claim to being the largesl 

 and the handsomest of them all. Its colours are black and 

 yellow, which even extend to the enormously long legs. The 

 mode of flight employed by the insect is very remarkable. 

 Instead of allowing all its legs to dangle beneath it, the creature 

 stretches its two fore-legs in front of it, on the same principle 

 employed by the heron when it stretches out its long neck in 

 flight. This species inhabits Australia. 



The Greek word Ctenophora signifies "comb-bearer," and is 

 given to the insects of this genus because the antennae of the 



Fig. 490.— Cteuopliora gaudens. [Female.] 

 (Yellow, brown, and black.) 



males are beautifully and deeply toothed. They are graceful!) 

 curved, the teeth being in.side the curve, so that they Look like 

 two delicate plumes. Several species of this genus inhabit 

 England, such, lor example, as Ctenophora pectinicornis and 

 ( '/> nophora hvmaculata. 



