THE GOLDSMITH BEETLE, AND ITS HABITS. 187 
duced by the metallic tints of the Cotalpa’s dress. Who has 
not seen the maiden sporting in a silken attire of but one 
color, which with every motion in the light became suddenly 
lustrous with beautiful hues. Almost a monochrome, yet 
the garb of the Goldsmith beetle presents a rich diversity of 
tints, chiefly of the yellow sorts. The wing-cases are a 
gleaming lemon, thus making the whole back appear as if 
encased by two large plates of paly gold, while the thorax 
and head are each covered with brilliant red gold, which in 
the light gives off an almost flaming hue. “The legs are 
brownish yellow, or brassy, shaded with green.” The under 
part of the insect is a sheet of highly polished copper, from 
which stands forth a thick coat of “whitish wool,” justifying 
its specific name lanigera, wool-bearer. It is pleasant to see 
how from such a seeming paucity of color, Nature has begot- 
ten in this insect such a richness of results. Although with 
a softer toning down, we see a not dissimilar success in that 
fine large Bombyx, the pale-green, satin-robed Moon-moth 
(Attacus luna), “preéminent above all our moths in queenly 
beauty.” 
In the month of May for many years, in the ordinary cul- 
ture of my garden at Keyport, N. J., the spade has turned 
up the Cotalpa lanigera (Fig. 1, larva; Fig. 2, imago), 
Fig. 2. 

and generally in company with the May-beetle, or Dor-bug 
: nosterna fusca, Fig. 3, pupa). The beetle is figured 
= the NATURALIST, Vol. I, p. 222. Each season has fur- 
mshed me many more Dors than Goldsmiths. And so far 
