82 



Observations on the various Insects 



15. E. Solani * (fig. 28, flying ; h, natural dimensions). It is of 

 a lively green colour, but fades after death to a yellowish green : 

 the head is broad, shout, and crescent-shaped above, with 2 lateral 

 prominent brown eyes : fig. 29, head, Sec, in profile : the face is 

 beneath, somewhat oval and very long, the apex producing a ros- 

 trum, and in a cavity on each side, before the eyes, are inserted 

 the antennae, which are short, and like 2 fine bristles, arising from 

 2 minute subglobose joints : the trunk is smooth, transverse, and 

 semi-orbicular; the scutel is triangular, acuminated at the apex: 

 the abdomen tapers to the apex, and is conical in the female, with 

 a long and stout ovipositor beneath, formed of 2 sheaths, ciliated 

 with hairs and enclosing the oviduct: wings 4, lying over the back 

 in a convex form, when at rest ; the superior, called elytra, are 

 twice as long as the body, narrow and elliptical, the nervures 

 scarcely visible; they are very glossy and iridescent, the extre- 

 mity rusty ; inferior wings ample, nearly as long as the elytra, 

 beneath which they are folded, being exceedingly delicate and 

 iridescent : the 6 legs are very slender, the first pair are short, the 

 hinder very long ; thighs short and slender; the anterior shanks 

 are armed with spines on the inside only and not to the apex ; 

 the hinder are long with a double row of spiny bristles on the 

 outside ; feet moderately long and tri-articulate, basal joint the 

 shortest, 2nd the longest, but in the hinder pair the basal joint 

 is the longest; claws and pulvilli minute. Length 1 line, ex- 

 panse 2f . 



The females have been observed by Mr. F. J. Graham, depo- 

 siting their eggs under the potato -leaves : these are white, cylin- 

 drical and somewhat shuttle-shaped, more pointed at one end 

 than at the other, and striated with numerous furrows forming 

 ridges : fig. 30 ; I, natural size : the little creatures which hatch 

 from them are green with 2 horns and 6 legs, as well as a rostrum 

 to pierce the cuticle of the plant. The pupa (fig. 31) is green, 

 and nearly as large as the parents, but narrower : the body tapers 

 considerably : the head is broad and the 2 black bristles forming 

 the horns are much longer than in the perfect insect : it has 2 

 large black eyes : the stout rostrum lies under the breast, extend- 

 ing to the hinder hips ; it is flexible and 3-jointed, enclosing the 

 4 mandibles and maxillae, which protrude beyond the apex like 

 the finest bristles : the lateral lobes enclosing the future wings 

 look like the pinions of a bird : it has 6 legs, the hinder pair 

 being the longest. When these pupae are full grown they attach 

 their feet to the stalk or leaf, and by bursting the horny skin on 

 the back, the perfect insect crawls out and is thus liberated. 

 These skins, as well as those cast off by the larvae during their 



* Gardeners' Chron., vol. vi. p. 388. 



