Proceedings of the South African Philosophical Society. xi 
do, but to display their brilliant colouring. All these are unpalatable. 
These are extreme cases where the power of flight is almost reduced 
to ml as a consequence of useful warning colours. On the other 
hand, many so protected species will display great agility when 
endeavouring to escape capture. 
In the Order CouEortTeRA the Lycide have bright yellow elytra 
sometimes broadly edged with black. Some of them have long 
spines in the centre of the back (Lycus hamatus ; kolber). They are 
at times very little conspicuous, in spite of their colouration. On 
yellow flowers they are hardly visible, but they are so sluggish on a 
plant, or when flying, that on that account alone I suspect them to be 
unedible. 
The Cantharide, a family -represented by a very considerable 
number of species in South Africa, have most conspicuous colours, 
generally consisting of broad, red or yellow transverse bands on a. 
black or brown background. They are found at times in incredible 
numbers feeding on flowers. They simulate death when danger is. 
near, and drop to the ground, but they are not so alert as the 
Buprestide. When seized they exude a yellowish fluid through the 
joints of their legs which is not only nauseous, but is nothing else 
than cantharidin. The colour of these insects is sometimes uniform, 
but it is always conspicuous, and at times most gorgeous. 
In the Longicorma there is a sub-family, the Callichromine, in 
which, as far as South Africa is concerned, most of the species possess 
bright metallic blues or greens, azure or gold hues, or when not 
brightly metallic, they have a black background relieved by very con- 
spicuous yellow or red bands. They are mostly floricolous, and 
extremely showy. Correlated with these brilliant warning colours is 
the power to emit a musky scent, extremely pungent in some species. 
This they emit, not only when danger threatens, but often also in their 
flight when not apparently alarmed. The slender, graceful long-horn 
called Promeces longipes, known here under the wrong name of Spanish 
Hly, is a representative of this sub-family. 
Among the Lanwine there is a group of insects belonging to the 
genus T’ragocephala, in which the black velvety colour of the body is 
relieved by broad bands or patches of most beautiful orange or 
chrome-yellow. The conspicuousness of these markings is extreme ; 
but the purpose it serves has not yet been satisfactorily ascertained. 
Lastly, I have met in the family Chrysomelide, in which bright 
metallic colours predominate, two cases in which the metallic hues 
were undoubtedly warning colours. 
In the HymMenopTsERA I have found no example of these warning 
colours; even the gorgeousness of the ruby-tailed flies (Chryside) 
