246 THE BUTTERFLY VIVAUIUM. 



secondary position; but we may suppose that the 

 poetic romance of* Musseus was taken from some 

 earlier work, containing much more of that true 

 mythic character, which would impart to it a 

 higher kind of interest. 



Among our native Beetles, the Lady-bird has 

 been almost as great a popular favourite as the 

 Glow-worm ; and as it is a great benefactor to our 

 rose-trees, as well as being the means of ornament- 

 ing some of their leaves with its bright little masses 

 of scarlet, more brilliant than their own buds, I shall 

 devote my remaining space to some details connected 

 with its general history and associations, in pre- 

 ference to speaking of other members of the Beetle 

 tribe. Its generic name is Coccinella, from the 

 Greek word, kokkivc;, scarlet, in allusion to the pre- 

 vailing colour of most of the family. The popular 

 English names are similar to those by which it is 

 known on the Continent, our "Lady-cow" and 

 "Lady-bird" being represented in French by 

 " Vache-a-Dieu," "Bete de la Vierge," etc. ; our 

 term " Lady " clearly alluding to the Virgin Mary. 

 In France the Lady-bird is also termed " Vole-midi," 

 from its favourite time of flight being at mid-day ; 

 and sometimes as " Petite tortue," in allusion 

 to its form, which might pass for a miniature 



