MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 223 
gave it much the appearance of a fine flower—A most 
beautiful and hrilliant beetle, of the genus Chlamys, 
Knoch, (Ch. Bacca, Kirby) found by Captain Hancock 
in Brazil, by the inequalities of its ruby-coloured surface, 
strikingly resembles some kinds of fruit.—And to make 
the series of imitations complete, a minute black beetle, 
with ridges upon its elytra, (Lister sulcatus, Oliv.)?, when 
lying without motion, is very like the seed of an umbelli- 
ferous plant. The dog-tick is not unlike a small bean ; 
which resemblance has caused a bean, commonly cultiva- 
ted as food for horses, to be called the tick-bean. 'The 
Palma Christi, also, had probably the name of Ricinus 
given to it from the similitude of its seed to a tick. 
Another tribe of these little animals, before alluded to, 
is secured from harm by a different kind of imitation, and 
affords a beautiful instance of the wisdom of Providence 
in adapting means to their end. Some singular larve, 
with a radiated anus®, live in the nests ofhumble-bees, and 
are the offspring of a particular genus of flies, (Volucella, 
Geoffr., Pterocera, Meigen, ) many of the species of which 
strikingly resemble those bees in shape, clothing, and co- 
lour. Thus has the Author of nature provided that they 
may enter these nests and deposit their eggs undiscovered. 
Did these intruders venture themselves amongst the hum- 
ble-bees in a less kindred form, their lives would probably 
pay the forfeit of their presumption. Mr. Sheppard once 
found one of these larvee in the nest of Apis Razella, K., 
but we could not ascertain what the fly was. Perhaps it 
© Oliv. Hntomolog. i. no. 8.17. 
> Prats XIX. Fic. 11. Vor. I. 4th Ed. 264. Latreille, Gen. Crust. 
et Ins. iv. 322. 
