THE GLAPHYRIN^E. 219 



of the African species are singular for their globose 

 form. We have already above alluded to the Ccelodera 

 Dej. (Pachypus} of Southern Europe,, which is so dif- 

 ferent to its male, that it is not long that they have 

 been united by entomologists ; the abdomen of the fe- 

 male, compared with the insect, is very vesiculose ; and 

 it has neither elytra nor wings. [W. E. Sh.] 



(191.) The GlaphyrincB, or wasp beetles, follow next 

 in the series. Their typical distinction is the unusual 

 shortness of their elytra, and their soft semi-membra- 

 naceous texture : these characters, indeed, are common 

 to all coleopterous insects analogous to this type ; but, 

 among the arboreal Cetoniadce, they are altogether re- 

 stricted to this division. Another, and a very remark- 

 able peculiarity, is the extreme hairiness of these beetles, 

 a structure by which they are enabled to perform the 

 office of bees, in promoting the fecundation of plants. 

 This, and the following facts regarding the Glaphyrina , 

 we can state as the result of personal observation. On 

 the flowery plains of Sicily, and more particularly of 

 Greece, several species of Amphicoma are found in the 

 greatest profusion during the early spring months : they 

 are to be seen on the wing very early in the morning, 

 flying about from flower to flower, and apparently very 

 busy. There is one species, more especially, found in 

 different parts of Greece, which is, without any doubt, 

 the Melolontha of the Ancients ; so completely does this 

 insect, when in motion, resemble one of the hymenopte- 

 rous order, that we captured it under that belief, and 

 only then discovered it was a beetle. After the month 

 of May, not one of the many Glaphyrina of those coun- 

 tries are to be seen ; and even at the proper season, they 

 seem all to retire before the middle of the day. During 

 the early part of May, the plains of Athens may be said 

 to swarm with these green and yellow Glaphyri, so that 

 the entomologist might collect them by thousands. Mr. 

 MacLeay, unacquainted with the fact, supposes that the 

 Trichius fasciatus was the insect alluded to by Eusta- 

 thius ; but, independent of the existence of the species 



