630 • INSECTS AT HOME. 



this species is blue-black, and the head is gilded above and in 

 front. The e5'^es are hairy, there are four longitudinal black 

 stripes on the thorax, and the whole of the body is sparingly 

 covered with very short greyish down. 



There are miiny species of this genus, the larvge of which 

 undergo their transformation in various substances, both animal 

 and vegetable. These substances are generally in a more or less 

 decaying state, but there are some species which make their 

 larval home in the roots of different plants, the radish and the 

 onion being particularly favoured by them. 



The last-mentioned insect, Anthomyia ceparum, lays her 

 eggs close to the ground, sheltered by the leaf-sheath. Thus 

 protected, the larva is soon hatched, burrows downwards into 

 the very heart of the balb, and very effectually destroys it. Then 

 there is the Lettuce-fly {Anthomyia lactucce), which burrows 

 into the heart of the lettuce, as it is tied up for the purpose 

 of blanching the leaves : and the Cabbage-fly {Anthomyia 

 brassicai), which performs a similar task with regard to the 

 cabbage, choosing for its depredations the junction of the 

 stem and leaves. 



The second species on Woodcut 'LXXIV. is called Musca 

 chloris, and the two are introduced so as to show the construc- 

 tion of the most conspicuous parts of these insects. 



On account of its colour, this insect is sometimes called the 

 Green-bottle, in contradistinction to the Blue-bottle, Its 

 colour is bright shining green, slightly inclining to blue, or 

 taking a golden gloss. There is a black stripe upon the crown of 

 the head. The eyes are brownish-red, and are divided in the 

 female by a broad band, and in the males by a narrow one. 

 The name chloris is Greek, and signifies green. The insect 

 is tolerably common, and is very active and quick on the wing, 

 so that it is not easily caught. 



Fig. a shows the antenna of Anthomyia, the very long and 

 almost cylindrical third joint being armed with a feathered 

 bristle. Fig. c shows in outline five of the facets which go to 

 make up the compound eye of the insect. If dissected, this 

 is shown to be a very wonderful structure, each of the facets being 

 then seen to be the termination of a separate eye. Every 

 one of these facets is set, so to speak, in a frame, which is, 

 for the most part, hexagonal, like a honeycomb, but at the 



