COLIAS COLIUS. 



79 



medicinal properties. It is not improbable that many 

 other species possess similar powers. Less useful 

 but highly ornamental, the metallic coverings of many 

 species may be and indeed have been employed in 

 decorating various kinds of trinkets, giving an effect 

 equal to that of gold or precious stones of every 

 shade. By the Indians they are employed to deco- 

 rate the head-dresses and necklaces, as well as for 

 earrings, fee. ; and we have seen, in a large 

 \varehouses in London, entire dresses decorated 

 with the elytra of the Suprcstis chrysis. The larvae 

 of the Coccincllidte are eminently serviceable in 

 checking the swarms of Aphides, whilst the Stiphida: 

 and many other insects, by feeding upon decaying 

 vegetable and animal matter, are active agents in 

 keeping up the regular succession of changes in the 

 creation. 



The coleoptera have been divided in different 

 manners by various authors. By Linnasus the con- 

 struction of the antennae formed the character upon 

 which the sections were established, but the distribu- 

 tion more generally adopted by modern authors is 

 founded upon the number of joints in the tarsi, as 

 follows : 



Sect. 1. Pentamera, all the tarsi having five joints. 



Sect. 2. Hetcromera, the four anterior tarsi having 

 five, and the two posterior having only four joints. 



Sect. 3. Tetramera of the French authors, having 

 apparently only four joints in each tarsus. 



Sect. 4. Trimera of the French authors, having 

 apparently only three joints in each tarsus. 



It is to be observed, however, with respect to the 

 two latter groups, that there is a minute rudimental 

 joint at the base of the terminal joint which has been 

 overlooked, and which renders the names Tetramera 

 and Trimera incorrect ; still the general structure of 

 the tarsus in these two groups is so well marked that 

 we have not hesitated to adopt them ; and, secondly, 

 that the section Dimera founded upon an incorrect 

 examination of insects supposed to have only two 

 joints (the Pselap/iidce, see BRACHELYTRA) is equally 

 incorrect, and consequently rejected. 



COLIAS (Fabricius). A genus of lepidopterous 

 insects belonging to the section D'mrna and family 

 PapUionidce, or true butterflies, having the hinder 

 wings extended beneath the abdomen, so as to form 

 a kind of canal on which this part of the body rests, 

 the claws of the feet are small and bifid, each having 

 two equal sized hooks ; the palpi are short and very 

 much compressed ; and the antenna; are terminated by 

 an elongated conical club, gradually increasing to the 

 tip. The anterior legs, which in some of the butter- 

 flies are of a small rudimental size, are here fully de- 

 veloped. The caterpillars are fleshy and cylindrical, 

 without either tubercles or the fleshy forked tentaculae 

 which arm the neck of the larva? of the genus Papilio. 

 These butterflies, which formed portion of the Lin- 

 naean section Danai candidi, are more gaily coloured 

 than the allied insects composing the genus Pontia, 

 including the common white butterflies, being espe- 

 cially distinguished by the bright yellow or orange 

 colour, which in a remarkable degree pervades the 

 whole group, thus evidencing the curious fact of the 

 prevalence of peculiar colours in peculiar groups of 

 animals. The genus is likewise interesting on account 

 of another peculiarity. " Several papilionaceous 

 insects," observes Mr. Stephens, " are remarkable for 

 their periodical or irregular appearance, and none 

 more conspicuously so than the insects of this genus. 



The cause of this interesting phenomenon appears 

 inexplicable, its solution has baflled the inquiries of 

 entomologists, and several speculative opinions have 

 been advanced thereon. By some persons their 

 sudden increase has been attributed to the previous 

 failure of their natural enemies, the ichneumons and 

 the soft-billed birds ; by others to an increased tem- 

 perature ; others again suppose that their eggs lie 

 dormant till called into life and vigour by some extra- 

 ordinary latent coincidences. But all these opinions 

 are mere conjectures, and they do not sufficiently 

 clear up the difficulty, which is rendered more obscure 

 from the fact that several of the insects, especially 

 Cynthia cardui, appear constantly in some parts and 

 periodically in others." Illust. Brit. Ent. vol. i. p. 10. 

 The genus is a very extensive one, as regards the 

 exotic species, but great confusion has occurred 

 respecting the English ones. Thus whilst Stephens 

 gives four, Curtis admits only two. We will not 

 enter into the points involved in the determination of 

 these questions at issue, further than to mention that, 

 besides several other minor points of inquiry, the 

 limits of specific variation, as well as the geographical 

 range of insects (two most interesting subjects), are 

 both included therein. 



COLIUS Coly. A genus of birds, regarded as 

 being wholly or chiefly granivorous, and as such 

 ranged by Cuvier in the conirostral division of his 

 great order Passeres. All the known species are 

 African birds dwelling chiefly in bushes and thickets, 

 and we are but little acquainted with their manners. 

 The name signifies " little crow." 



The characters are : the bill thick, short, stout, 

 convex above, flat below, a little compressed towards 

 the point, upper mandible lapping over the edges of 

 the lower one ; nostrils small, basal, lateral, round, 

 partly covered with feathers, and pierced in the horny 

 substance ; feet of mean size, with four toes, three to 

 the front, united to the first joint, external toe longer 

 than the tarsus, the hind toe short and reversable, 

 and the claws very crooked ; the wings very short, 

 the first quill merely rudimental, the second shorter 

 than the third which is the longest in the wing. 



These birds are confined to the tropical regions of 

 the old continent, though they, or others very much 

 resembling them, are also met with in Australia. 

 Being bad fliers, and capable of only short flight, 

 these birds seldom venture out of the shade of the 

 trees, but prefer running along the branches, which they 

 do with great dexterity. They are said to eat buds 

 and fruits, and to refuse insects ; and therefore they 

 are very annoying to various kinds of cultivated fruits, 

 and are attacked with great avidity by cultivators. 



From the weakness of their wings, these birds are 

 incapable of making long migrations, or proceeding 

 to any considerable distance from the woods in which 

 they have their principal residence and where they 

 build their nests, as the structure of their feet is not 

 well adapted for walking, any more than their wings 

 are for flight. They live in societies, and every bush 

 contains a considerable number of families which 

 build their nests close to each other in the very centre 

 of the bush, which is done to protect their young 

 from birds of prey. The eggs are three or four in 

 number, in each more of a reddish or brownish colour 

 according to the species. When it is not nesting 

 time, these birds repose perching ; and it has been 

 said that, in order to sleep the more soundly, they 

 suspend themselves by their claws with their head 



