Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Entomology.djvu/335

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OF INSECTS.
329

thing like that of an ichneumon, and the thorax is armed with two spines. All of them are exotic, and but a small number are known. The individual figured is from Bengal. It is of small size, not exceeding four lines, (the figure being very much magnified,) the head, legs, and base of the abdomen yellow; the apex of the latter blue-black. The thorax is likewise of that colour, with a few white dots behind. The apex of the wing with a brownish black spot.


ASILUS (BLEPHAROTES, West) ABDOMINALIS.

Plate XXXV. Fig. 1.

This represents a splendid insect belonging to the family Asilidæ, but differing from all the species of that family in the broad flattened abdomen and in the structure of the intermediate tarsi. These peculiarities have led Mr. Westwood to propose a new subgeneric name for its reception.

This insect is of an obscure brownish-black, with grey hairs; the nose is fringed with long fulvous hairs; the basal segment of the abdomen is thickly clothed with grey hairs, the four following segments smooth, shining, and of a rich green colour, with the posterior margin whitish, the sides of these segments are furnished with thick brushes of brown hair, those of the posterior segments being more mixed with buff hairs; the terminal segment is corneous, and armed with two curved horny appendages; the legs are robust and black; the intermediate tibiæ are short and clavate, with several