Insects abroad : being a popular account of foreign insects, their structure, habits, and transformations . arge patch on the outer edge of each elytron, nearly inthe middle, (hi a closet inspection it is evident that the real PROTECTIVE RESEMBLANCES. 157 colour of the elytra is black, and that the white surface, whichlooks just like paint, is only superficial. It is, however, strongerand attached more firmly than is generally the case, and willresist a moderate scratch of a needle. When the antenna? and legs are tucked close to the body, thisBeetle scarcely looks like an insect, but resembles
Insects abroad : being a popular account of foreign insects, their structure, habits, and transformations . arge patch on the outer edge of each elytron, nearly inthe middle, (hi a closet inspection it is evident that the real PROTECTIVE RESEMBLANCES. 157 colour of the elytra is black, and that the white surface, whichlooks just like paint, is only superficial. It is, however, strongerand attached more firmly than is generally the case, and willresist a moderate scratch of a needle. When the antenna? and legs are tucked close to the body, thisBeetle scarcely looks like an insect, but resembles a piece of barkcovered with white lichen. I feel quite certain that if one ofthese Beetles were to cling to the bark of an old lichen-coveredtree, the keenest eye would not detect it except by accident. Thosewho are practically acquainted with our own Skipjack Beetlesknow that there is one species, Lacon murinus, which is in colourso exactly like a piece of old bark, that if it flies to an elm oroak trunk and settles there, it will hardly ever be discovered,even though it were actually seen to Fig. 73.—Alaus luosreus.(Black and white.) There are many species belonging to the genus, all of whichare dressed in the same sober hues, and some are marked in amanner which is almost grotesque. One of these is Alausoculatus, of Florida. The thorax in this insect is dark creamygrey, and on either side is a large oval spot of jetty black,surrounded by a narrow belt of pure white, so as to have aneye-like appearance reminding the English entomologist of thesimilar spots on the caterpillar of the Elephant Hawk there is another species, Alaus lymphatics, with thewhole of the upper surface snowy white, relieved by a fewsmall black spots. The generic name Alaus is Greek, and signifies dull orobscure, and the specific name mosrens is Latin, signifying 158 L\SF,(TS ABIiOAD. mourning; both names being given to the insect in conse-quence of the sober black and white of its co
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectinsects, bookyear1883
