Amongst the Beetle tribes there are none more graceful in 

 I'orm than the Ceranibycidae, but the agreeable odour of roses 

 which is exhaled by the Aromia moschata is a quality peculiar 

 to this species, which is of a beautifully rich glossy green, 

 tinged with metallic copper or gold on the head and thorax, 

 and the elytra have sometimes a rich purple tint at the base 

 and round the margins. 



The specific name of Moschata is not a happy one, and the 

 trivial appellation given to it in this country of " Musk-beetle " 

 is not less objectionable, for the scent is quite like that of otto 

 of roses, and this is emitted so freely at particular seasons, 

 that it is not only perceptible on approaching them as they 

 move about, but I remember once detecting this perfume in 

 a box in which some of the beetles had been confined, six 

 weeks after they had died. 



If it were not for the unfortunate aversion which many per- 

 sons entertain towards anything in the shape of a beetle or 

 caterpillar, several of these beautiful and remarkable animals 

 might, I think, be introduced into ladies' conservatories, if 

 not into their drawing-rooms, by which means a taste for con- 

 templating the works of nature would be cherished, and thus 

 become a rational amusement to the junior branches of fami- 

 lies. A small sallow or willow in a garden-pot would afford 

 a station for the musk-beetle, which is found in considerable 

 numbers on many varieties of those plants, from June to Sep- 

 tember. The caterpillars of many of the butterflies might be 

 reared with ease in the same way, and thus all their wonder- 

 ful transformations would be daily passing under the eye, and 

 ultimately one of the most charming objects in nature would 

 be disclosed from the suspended pupa : the beautiful larva of 

 Sphinx Ligustri may be readily kept on a plant of the Privet, 

 and many other species might be mentioned ; but we can only 

 add that these caterpillars will not ramble from the plants they 

 feed upon until they are full grown, and they are all perfectly 

 harmless. 



The only species of Aromia inhabiting England is 

 A. Moschata Linn.—Curi. Brit. Ent. pi. 738 ? . 



Rich shining green : antennae often chalybeous, black at 

 the apex: head more or less aureous or coppery, thickly 

 punctured at the base, with a channel in front: thorax tinged 

 with gold, punctured, with 6 or 8 tubercles round the disc : 

 elytra finely granulated, each with 2 shining lines, the 1st 

 terminating at the suture beyond the middle, the 2nd reaching 

 the same near the apex : pubescence on the tibiae and tarsi fer- 

 ruginous. 



Mr. Newman once informed me that he discovered the 

 Musk-beetles feeding on ripe gooseberries, generally on those 

 which had fallen down. 



For specimens o^ Phyteuma orbiculare. Round-headed Ram- 

 pion, 1 am indebted to Mr. Joseph Graham, and I also ga- 

 thered others at Mickleham last August. 



