Part 40

HABITAT: Sierra Leone, Africa (Drury).

Head cream-coloured at top, and black underneath, being full three-fourths of an inch in length, from the neck to the extremity of the two horns which issue from the fore part of it, the sides of which are furnished with two other thick horns which are shorter than the former. Eyes black, and situated so as to discern above and beneath. Antennæ black. Thorax an inch and a half long, cream-coloured, having a thin, sharp, black edge all round; on the top are six longitudinal black streaks differently shaped, separated by cream-coloured lines, the middle ones being narrowest, on each side of which near the lateral edge is a small single black spot; the under part of the thorax is cream-coloured. Scutellum of a longish triangular shape, and cream-coloured. Elytra cream-coloured, with a broad black streak like velvet, about a third of their breadth, running near the lateral edges from the shoulders to the tips. On each side the scutellum is a small black oblong spot, at about one-third of an inch from it. Legs dark green, finely polished. The hairs on the middle and hind thighs and tibiæ dark orange. Abdomen dark green. Abdominal scales [posterior coxæ] the same; on which, close to the joints of the hinder thighs, are two small cream-coloured spots. Sternum long, and of a dark green colour.

I have ventured, on the authority of several distinguished entomologists, to give this insect as a species distinct from Goliathus maximus, figured in the first volume of these Illustrations, Pl. 31. It is true, indeed, that both are from the tropical districts of the western coast of Africa, and that both exhibit the same general structure and form of the horns, (the variations of which constitute the chief specific differences in these cornuted species). Drury evidently at first regarded it as specifically distinct, for he says, in his observation upon it, "This insect is of the same genus with that described in Vol. 1. Pl. XXXI., but I judge it to be a different species," although in the synoptical appendix to the volume he calls it "a variety of Goliathus," the markings are very different, as may be seen by comparing the two figures; but it might be considered that the specimen represented in the first volume was a rubbed individual of that here figured; this, however, is evidently not the case, because in both descriptions Drury expressly describes the dark part of the elytra as resembling velvet, which could not be the case if the specimen was {55}rubbed. Moreover, a very fine and recent specimen corresponding with the present figure has lately been received by Mr. Havill, of Oxford Street, printseller and naturalist, who has demanded the sum of fifty pounds for it. The individual here figured is in the collection of Mr. MacLeay, to whom I have been indebted for a sight of it, and by whose father it was purchased at the sale of Mr. Drury's collection at the price of £12. 1s. 6d., forming lot 95, in the first day's sale, Thursday May 23, 1805, and described in the catalogue as "Scarabæus Goliathus, var." I have also seen in the Royal Museum at Berlin a female of this genus having the head unarmed, and agreeing in colour and markings with the insect here figured, but which is regarded by Dr. Klug as a species distinct from the Goliath. maximus, and which he has recently described in Ermann's Voyage.

PLATE XLI.

MYRMELEON TORRIDUM.

Plate XLI.

ORDER: Neuroptera. SECTION: Filicornes. FAMILY: Myrmeleonidæ, Leach.

GENUS. MYRMELEON, Linn. &c.

MYRMELEON TORRIDUM. Capite thoraceque fulvescentibus, lineâ dorsali nigrâ, hoc griseo-pubescenti, abdomine fusco, alis fusco-punctatis et maculatis, maculis posticarum majoribus et versus apicem crucem irregularem formantibus. (Expans. Alar. 6 unc. 9 lin.)

SYN. Myrmeleon Libelluloides var., Drury, App. vol. 3.

HABITAT: Sierra Leone.

Antennæ black, slender, and thickest at the extremities. Head, neck, and thorax yellowish brown, with a black longitudinal stripe running along the middle. Four palpi, two of which are short; the other two long, slender, and knobbed at the extremities. Thorax nearly covered with grey hairs. Abdomen yellowish brown; but, when the insect was living, was probably green. Wings of equal length, the anterior being broadest, all marked with a great number of red-brown spots, and clouds of various shapes and sizes, and appearing to be composed of fine lattice-work like gauze, and perfectly transparent where they are not clouded. Legs nearly of equal length, having two strong tibial spurs.

This is the insect referred to in the observations upon Myrmeleon Libelluloides figured in Vol. 1. tab. 46. fig. 1. as having been regarded by Drury and Fabricius as a variety of that South-Europæan species. That they are specifically distinct both in their habitat and characters will not, I think, be doubted. The peculiar dilatation of the extremity of the posterior wings is a curious character not found in the Libelluloides.

{56}PLATE XLII.

PEPSIS ATROX.

Plate XLII. fig. 1.

ORDER: Hymenoptera. SECTION: Fossores. FAMILY: Pompilidæ, Leach.

GENUS. PEPSIS, Fabr. Latr. Sphex, Linn. Drury.

PEPSIS ATROX. Nigra, alis fusco-diaphanis, pedibus fulvis. (Long. Corp. 2 unc. 3 lin. Expans. Alar. 3 unc. 6 lin.)

SYN. Sphex atrox, Drury, App. vol. 3.

HABITAT: Sierra Leone.

Head dark brown. Jaws strong: two of the palpi are long, the other two short. Tongue dilated, and tufted at the tips. Eyes oblong, shining and prominent. Thorax and abdomen brown-black. Abdominal peduncle short. In the specimen figured the sting was exserted, curved, and furnished with two short clavate instruments at its base. Wings thin, and diaphanous. Legs yellow-brown, and furnished with a great number of short spines from the claws to the base of the tibiæ. Tibiæ with two spurs, except those of the fore-legs, which have but one.

Fabricius has described an insect from South America, under the name of Pepsis Heros, which nearly agrees with this species, with the following reference--"Sphex Securus, Drury Ins. . tab. . fig. ." It will be sufficient to observe that Drury has described no such insect, although it is probable that Fabricius, who was on terms of intimacy with our author, might have seen the unpublished figure of such insect in his possession. Mr. Smeathman informed our author that he was once stung in the finger by one of these insects, but the pain was not so severe as might have been expected from a wound made by so large a creature belonging to this genus. His method, when stung by any insects in Africa, was to open the puncture with a lancet, and squeeze out the blood and venom together, which, when effectually done, soon caused the pain to abate.

CHLORION FEROX.

Plate XLII. fig. 2.

ORDER: Hymenoptera. SECTION: Fossores. FAMILY: Sphegidæ, Leach.

GENUS. CHLORION, Latr. Sphex, Drury.

CHLORION FEROX. Viridi-cyaneum, nitidissimum, antennis pedibusque nigris, alis fuscescentibus. (Expans. Alar. fere 2 unc.)