GiBBIUM Scotias may be mistaken at first sight for Mezium 

 sulcatum ; but the skilful entomologist will soon discover that 

 it has a smooth and shining thorax, and instead of being gib- 

 bous, the outline is continuous with that of the elytra, which 

 are obliquely truncated at the base. The small eyes are placed 

 further from the antennae in our genus than in Mezium, and 

 the singular shining and semitransparent horny elytra are 

 slightly elongated. 



The antennae of both genera are so thickly clothed with 

 scales, that they appear to be robust, but they taper con- 

 siderably in Gibbium. The principal differences in the trophi 

 are to be found in the labrum and labium, in the length of the 

 palpi, and in the maxillae, which are furnished with longer 

 and more curved spiny bristles than in Mezium. 



" Nothing," says Geoffroy, " is more singular, for the form, 

 than this little insect : it resembles a brown and shining globe, 

 carried upon feet ; its head forming only a little point on one 

 side. The head is very small, and there arise from it antennae 

 almost as long as the body, and placed before the eyes, which 

 are very minute. The thorax is broad and very short. The 

 elytra are convex, smooth, polished, and of a chestnut colour : 

 they meet and are united, and moreover they envelope a great 

 portion of the underside of the body, so that the insect is quite 

 clothed with a cuirass. Under these united and immoveable 

 elytra there are no wings. Its antennae and feet are a little 

 hairy, and of a light colour. The rest of the body is brown 

 and shining." 



Until within a few years, this curious insect was considered 

 to inhabit houses and museums in the south of Europe only; 

 but from Mr. Samouelle we learn that "it has been three 

 times taken in Bristol," in April : and it has lately been de- 

 tected at Newcastle by George Wailes, Esq., to whom I am 

 indebted for specimens and the following memorandum : — " I 

 take these insects in a very dry closet, and think, from the 

 exuviae of the larvae I have found, that they subsist either 

 upon the paper with which the closet is hung, or the paste 

 that attaches it to the wall." In France it is also found in 

 old hay. 



The plant is Clematis Vitalba (Traveller's Joy). 



