4

PLATE LXXIV.

The description which Linnæus has given of our species is, " long:, C. 1

“ rostris, corpore viridi aurato subtus concoloreand Degeer has de, they

scribed it in similar words. It is evident that Linnæus had reason tosuspect some difference of colour between the two sexes, but perhaps V

he never imagined the C. Purpureus *, which he had before described, the c

was also one sex, or a variety of the same Insect . with

both

Geoffrey says, “ Rhinomacer totus viridi cœruleus and Fabricius c f e ,

adds, “ Vaiiat fæpius colore omnino cceruleo. Alter sexus thoracem" antrorfum spinofum gerit.” How those different descriptions may I i

be reconciled, so as to be descriptive of the two sexes of C. Betulæ, Esq;

will appear more clearly on farther observation. ^ B

blue

Late in May , this season, being at Darent-Wood , Darts or d, I mef his p

with one of the green kind, and' one of a dark blue colour, with a out;

shade of green on the elytra; I could not be deceived, they were male it wo

and female ; as a farther corroboration, I met with a second pair, in 1 and j

a similar situation; and on the day following a third: the blue one of took,

this last pair had not the shade of green as on the former, but was of five j

a rich glosty blue purple; and I am greatly mistaken if it is not the partoi

C. Purpureus of Linnæus , or the Infect which is arranged in Englijh. fnist a ;

Cabinets for that species.

I communicated the circumstance of meeting with those two Insects ,which have always been considered as distinct kinds, to a person who,also was collecting Insects in the wood, on the fame day, and he in-?formed me that he had just before discovered them in the same situation.I have examined them very carefully, but cannot discover any spineson the thorax of the green and gold kind, though 1 have five of them,but the three purple specimens are all spinous, as described by authors.'I am of opinion, that the bright coloured specimens are all females ,and those which are purple, I imagine, are males.

I mentioned the-circumstance to an eminent Entomologist, and heat first suspected they might be mule Insects , generated between the

* Berkenhout, in his Outlines of the Natural History of Greai-Briiain, fays,C. Purpureus . Glossy Purple. Snout very long. Petiver found this atLpjom.

C. Bet tiles