104 



The Naturalist. 



antennae and hind legs are two tufts of bright scarlet, with a row of 

 seven tufts of the same colour running along the Elytra costce, 

 gradually diminishing in size from base to apex. I have described 

 this insect"^ in a rough manner, not paying attention so much to 

 scientific and synoptical nomination as the subject warrants. My 

 desire is merely to give you " a reflective idea " of the wondrous 

 beauty of this noble Coleopteron, and spare -you the disgust of any 

 pedantic assumption. To select one type of loveliness amongst the 

 Bupredidce in preference to others is a difficult task ; and to my mind^ 

 many of the smallest and most slighted species are superior to their 

 big relations in every respect save clumsiness. In Hirsuta's company 

 I found a splendid Longicorn — ZougrapJms ocidator and Cantharis — 

 Mylahris oculata ; also a large number of Longhorns, commonly termed 

 " Spanish Flies ".f These are readily discovered, as they diffuse a 

 strong, and not unpleasant \ odour of lasting power. An Africander 

 youngster who accosted me one day, gave them the name of 

 "Smellers;" and he was not far wrong. They always appear to be 

 friendly, however, and to pedestrian Naturalists, who now and again 

 sniff Kaffir location breezes, the selection of the least of two evils 

 produces "peace, good-will" towards "Smellers." As I journey 

 along, the inevitable Cetotiia, yclept Pachioda margmata buzzes about 

 on all sides. This insect, whose bump of destructiveness is so 

 extraordinarily developed, is a perfect pest to horticulturists, ex- 

 hibiting, as it does, a ruining propensity for dahlias, and those of the 

 most perfect kind in particular. I strongly suspect Marginata is 

 opposed to Blue Ribbon Army principles. Mr. Wilson, the afi'able 

 botanist and chief gardener of St. George's Park, in this town, ordered 

 a certain tree to be cut down. From the stump issued, as I believe, 

 sap of an alcoholic kind. The top of this stump in circumference would 

 be about twelve to eighteen inches, and thereon liquored, in a most 

 reprehensible manner, over a dozen fat Marginatas, evidently acting on 

 the maxim " First come, soonest served.'' The sight swelled my 

 bosom with indignation, and inwardly I heaved a sigh of compassion j 

 and though I do not aspire to teetotalism, a " kinder sort'er hope 

 busted up'' that before long Sir Wilfrid Lawson would visit the 

 Eastern province. From the aforesaid incident and addendum which 

 follows, experimental philosophers might sketch a moral lesson, for 

 Marginata is one of the very few beetles § which deteriorates in spirits. 



* Julodis hirsuta. — Prof. Westwood (authority), 

 f A weak Provincialism. J Opinions differ on this point. 



\ § I mean deceased beetles of course. 



