File:The natural history of beetles - illustrated by thirty-two plates, numerous wood-cuts, with memoir and portrait of Ray (1852) (14784356333).jpg

Identifier: naturalhistoryof01dunc (find matches)
Title: The natural history of beetles : illustrated by thirty-two plates, numerous wood-cuts, with memoir and portrait of Ray
Year: 1852 (1850s)
Authors: Duncan, James, 1804-1861 Jardine, William, Sir, 1800-1874 Lizars, W. H. (William Home), 1788-1859, engraver
Subjects: Ray, John, 1627-1705 Beetles
Publisher: Edinburgh : W.H. Lizars London : Henry G. Bohn
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
on of it was more inaccordance with its original usage, and distinguishedthe present one by the generic name of Cucujus.It now designates a numerous and well-defined fa-mily, including nearly 200 known species, many ofwhich are the most beautiful and richly ornamentedof the coleopterous tribes. They are adorned withthe most brilliant green and golden colours, oftenglossed with purple and blue, and variegated withbands and markings of the highest metallic lustre.A few species inhabit this country, but several ofthe larger kinds included in the British Fauna havebeen introduced without sufficient authority. Theirproper geographical position is within the tropics,where they may be seen flying about in great num-bers in the open parts of the forests and on themargin of rivers, or reposing on the trunks andleaves of trees, as if enjoying the heat of the meri-dian sun, which is reflected with great brilliancyfrom their polished surfaces. * From £flt/,-, an ox, and r^fu, I inflame. PLATE 6.
Text Appearing After Image:
X.Buprestzs ckrysis. Z.Buprestis bLcolor. 2. sternicornis 4 - _ aznoefia. COLEOPTEEOUS INSECTS. 155 BUPRESTIS CHRYSIS. PLATE VI. Fig. 1. Buprestis chrysis, Oliv. 32, pi. 2, fig. 8, a, <£, e.—Bup. ster-nicornis, De Geer—Bup. sternicornis, Var. Linn—Ster-nocera chrysis, Esch. Dejean. The body of this species is very stout and con-vex anteriorly, and the elytra taper towards thehinder extremity. The antennae are of a blackishcolour, and rather shorter than the thorax. Thehead and thorax are of a brilliant golden green,and the latter is sculptured with numerous exca-vated dots, rather of large size, which have ash-coloured hairs in the bottom. Each elytron bearsthree small teeth at the hinder extremity; the sur-face, although thickly covered with minute punc-tures, is smooth and glossy, and of a uniform deepchestnut colour, occasionally with a greenish glosstowards the base. The under side is of a brassygreen, very highly polished, and the terminal seg-ment is usually margined w

Note About Images