280 
MEANING OF SHAPES AND COLOURS OF THE MEMBRA Cl DHL 
Microschema , Hoplophora, Plcitycotis, Potnia, and Ochropepla (Plates XVITI.-XXIL), 
also suggest cryptic resemblance to various vegetable structures, as a reference to the 
figures will sufficiently indicate. As in almost all the other cases the bionomics of 
each of the species requires special study upon the spot. In Hoplophora sanguinosa 
(Plate XIX., Fig. 3) Mr. Buckton suggests the resemblance to a small bee. A probable 
model may be found by a search among the Neotropical Hymenoptera Aculeata, 
but observation of the living insects will still be most desirable in order to afford the 
fullest confirmation of the interpretation. 
In the two sub-families, the Membracing and the Hoplophorina, cryptic appear¬ 
ances seem to be almost universal, so far as we can judge from the more or less 
probable interpretations suggested by a study of cabinet specimens and figures. We 
now reach the Darnina ,' a sub-family in which mimetic adaptation is the probable 
explanation of many species. Passing the genus Aspona (Plate XXII.), of which 
the colouring may be cryptic, we reach the contrasted colours and conspicuous 
patterns of Darnis (Plates XXII. and XXIII.). It is highly probable that 
the appearances which are here figured, indicate aposematic (warning) colours, 
or else mimicry of the warning colours of other animals. It is probable that 
one or more of the unpalatable groups of Coleoptera, such as the Phytophaga or the 
Coccinellida, afford the models for some of the species, and it has been suggested that 
others are mimetic of slugs (see page 109). Certainty can only be attained by a 
study on the spot, but some conclusions with a high degree of probability could, I 
think, be reached by an examination of a good museum collection of the specially 
protected Coleoptera from the same part of the world. Some of the species of the 
genus Stictopelta (Plates XXIII. and XXIV.) are also probably mimetic of Coleoptera. 
The representation of S. nigrifrons (Plate XXIII., Fig. 5) especially suggests the appear¬ 
ance of a beetle, such as one of the Phytophaga, with a reddish head, black thorax, and 
light brown elytra. Other species of this genus possess colours which may be 
cryptic, and the same is the case with Heheticoides , Hebetica, Tropidarnis , Alcmeonc, 
Hyphinoe , Darnoides, Dysyncritus, Aconophora , Entaphius , Hypheus, Hemiptycha, 
Nessorrhinus, and Cymbomorpha (Plates XXIII.-XXIX.). The cryptic interpretation is 
highly probable in some of the species figured, less certain in others. Thus Mr. 
Buckton’s suggestion that Heheticoides acutus (Plate XXIII., Fig. 8) resembles a shining 
brown seed (page 119), or, at least, some vegetable structure, is in every way probable, 
as is the bud-, thorn-, or spine-like interpretation of several species of Aconoplxora. 
A single figured species of this latter genus, A. W—album (Plate XXVIII., Fig. 5), 
appears to possess an aposematic or mimetic colouring. Again, the species of 
Alcmeone, A. centroioides, shown on Plate XXIV., Fig. 6, appears to be cryptic, while 
A. godmani, figured by Canon Fowler on Plate V,, Fig. 24, of his monograph in the 
