THE OECIGENIA. 395 



which occurs occasionally,, although rarely, in consi- 

 derable numbers in particular localities. It measures 

 rather more than a quarter of an inch in length, and 

 is of a black colour, with the margins of the pro- 

 thorax and abdomen, and nearly the whole of the 

 elytra, which are destitute of membrane, bright scarlet; 

 the latter exhibit a small black spot at their base, and 

 a large round one towards their apex. 



This beautiful insect is the only British repre- 

 sentative of a group which is exceedingly abundant in 

 the tropics, and of which most of the species are, like 

 it, variegated with red and black. They are distin- 

 guished from all the preceding tribes by the absence 

 of ocelli, and in allusion to this partial blindness 

 the name of C.ECIGENIA is given to the tribe. The 

 rostrum and antennae are composed of four joints, 

 the latter inserted rather low down on the sides of 

 the head, and with their basal joint elongated ; the 

 membrane of the elytra exhibits numerous veins, 

 usually springing from a pair of large basal cells. 

 Even our British species, although its specific name 

 expresses its ordinary apterous condition and want 

 of the hemelytral membrane, frequently acquires 

 perfect hemelytra and wings, but no examples of 

 this description appear ever to have occurred in this 

 country, where indeed the insect itself is not very 

 common. When it does make its appearance, how- 

 ever, it is usually in such numbers together, that the 

 ground in the places frequented by them is rendered 

 quite brilliant with their scarlet bodies; they are 

 generally found collected in groups, tumbling one 

 over the other at the roots of trees, and usually on 

 the side exposed to the sun. Mr. Curtis records their 

 appearance in vast quantities in situations where one 



