PLATE LXX. 



' This extraordinary species of the Buprestis genus has every claim 

 to the attention of the naturalist, whether we regard it as one of the 

 largest insects of its tribe, or as an insect of great beauty and 

 tincommon scarcity. This curious beetle formed originally a portion 

 of the fine cabinet of insects collected by that venerable English 

 collector, the late Mr. Drury, but at the time of Mr. Drury's death, 

 which happened rather less than twenty years ago, it became the 

 property of Alexander Mc Leay, whose invaluable collection it now 

 enriches. It is worthy of remark, that notwithstanding the length 

 of time during which it remained in the possession of Mr. Drury 

 and the time elapsed since that period, it has remained unique in 

 this country, and probably in Europe. The species has been made 

 known through the medium of the Fabrician writings, but with this 

 exception the particulars of this species yet remains in some obscurity. 

 J abricius refers to the works of Olivier for a figure of this insect, 

 but there is no figure of it in that publication, and the only conclu- 

 sion we can form upon the subject is that such a figure, though 

 intended to have been produced in the works of Olivier, never did 

 appear.* Fabricius acknowledges that his description was taken 

 from the specimen in Drury's cabinet, adding at the same time that 

 it is a native of America. From the manuscripts of Mr. Drury 

 now in our possession, its habitat is rather more explicitly expressed : 

 Mr. Drury had purchased this curious insect of Mr. Humphrey, in 

 the year 1772, and he believes it was from Surinam, but he is not 

 entirely assured in this particular. Hence it appears the species 

 may be an inhabitant of South America, but the expression of 

 Fabricius, habitat in America,^'' is less explicit than may be desired* 



♦ Oliv. 33. tab. . %. 



