Zoology.] NATUEAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. \_Insects. 



head to end of abdomen 5 inches 2 lines. Proportional measurements in fractions 

 of the length, taken as 100: length of head, t Jq ; of antennae, T W; of prothorax, xfo - ; 

 of mesothorax, t §q ; of metathorax, ^fe ; of abdomen, -££$ ; of ovipositor, T ^ 8 F j of 

 anal styles, T | 1J ; of tegmina, t 3 q% ; width of tegmina, T yg- ; length of costal area of 

 wing, y 7 ^ ; width of costal area, -^- ; width of wing, t % 3 q ; length of anterior 

 femora, x % 5 ^ ; width of femora, x f ^ ; length of 2nd pair of femora, fifo ; width, r ^ : 

 length of hind femora, T %% ; width, T f -$. 



This is apparently the insect referred to by Prof. Westwood (Cat. 

 Orth. In., p. 166) as the Adelaide variety of T. Childreni with 

 rose-color under side of costal area and tegmina and basal portion of 

 costal area above, and showing as a variability a greater expanse 

 of wing. I do not find any perceptible or important variation ; and 

 therefore the wings are longer and less broad than in that species, 

 the antennae are shorter, and the perfectly constant, vermilion scarlet 

 of the upper half of the costal area, and the under-side of the 

 tegmina and costal area being of the same striking red, contrasts 

 strongly with the green under-side of the tegmina and costal area 

 and purple base of the wings of T. Childreni. The present species 

 is distinguished from the T. iodomus by the red instead of violet 

 base of wing above, and the splendid scarlet vermilion of the under- 

 side of nearly the whole of the costal area and tegmina ; it likewise 

 differs in the much stronger veins above and below the mid-vein of 

 the tegmina, the much shorter antennae, and the wider, dilated 

 femora of the 2nd and 3rd pairs of legs. 



When seen flying against the sun, the red of the under-side of 

 the costal area of the wings overpowers the green of the distal 

 portion of the upper surface, shining through, so as to appear of 

 strikingly vivid scarlet vermilion, which disappears like magic when 

 the creature alights, suddenly folds its great wings in a narrow 

 green layer over the abdomen concealed by the costal area, the red 

 base of which is exactly covered over and hid by the green tegmina, 

 so that the whole agrees so nearly with the foliage of the Eucalypti 

 on which it rests that the sharpest eye would miss it, especially if 

 looking for the splendid scarlet flying creature of an instant before. 



I might mention that the whitish and yellowish head, thorax, 

 veins, and patches on the tegmina and the costal area seen in 

 cabinet specimens of this and many described allied kinds of green 

 Phasma are only post mortem bleachings, arising from the moisture 



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