movement in recommending themselves to the other sex.’ ■ same

OuE last example of the Weevils is a tiny Beetle, which, ■ though quite as destructive as the Scolytus, is, happily for us, ■ not nearly so plentiful. It is called Tomicus ty^togra'pUma, ■ and a figure of it is given on Woodcut XX. Fig. 4. This is distinguished by the club of the antennae, which is genus four-jointed and rounded. The present species is blackish, clothed with rather long yellow hair. The thorax is very long, and there is a space between it and the elytra, which are deeply W and punctated ; the spaces between the striae being ft striated and smooth. The apex of the elytra is abrupt and ft convex rather tinned up, and has six distinct teeth, the fourth being ft the largest. I

This insect attacks the fir, and in some parts of Europe does | to those trees than the Scolytus does to the I even worse harm The larva makes tunnels under the hark, I elm in this country. in a tolerably straight line, as does the hut, instead of proceeding of Scolytus, it makes a devious track, which often presents larva to letters; hence its name of ty'poa fanciful resemblance qraphicus, or ‘ letter-writer. districts of Germany there is great

In the pine-producing which is popularly called the Turk, the dread of this Beetle, by its larva being known by the name of ^ urmtracks left the ravages of this Beetle, trockniss. So terrible are sometimes the end of the last century more than a mdhon that towards by the Tomicus in the Hartz and a half of trees were destroyed that perished in other ^ forest alone, without reckoning those species of this genus are known, parts of the country. Thirteen and some of them are plentiful. to inhabit England,

CHAPTER XII.

Longicornes.

This group of Beetles derives its name from the shape of the antennae, which are generally long, though in some of our commonest species they are only of moderate length ; hut, whether they he long or short, they are never cluhhed, and are mostly slender and thread-like. Their head is not lengthened into a heak like that of the preceding group, and the elytra are always hroader at the hase than the thorax. There are other peculiarities of structure, hut these are quite sufficient to distinguish them. Indeed, there is something so characteristic in the appearance of a Longicorn Beetle, that even a novice finds no difficulty in recognising it.

They are all wood-horers in the larval condition, and are thin, long, whitish gruhs, rather flattened, and with the segments holdly marked. By means of this latter structure, the larv® are able to force their way through the wooden tunnels in which they live. They possess the usual six legs, hut these hmhs are only rudimentary, and of no use in locomotion. One of these larvae is shown on Woodcut XX. Fig. a. As the gruh has to feed upon hard material, it is furnished with very strong horny jaws, and, in order to accommodate the muscles which move these jaws, the head is very hroad and covered with a hard skin, nearly as strong indeed as the jaws themselves. In consequence of their hahits, the proceedings of the larvae are difficult of observation, and require machinery such as few entomologists can hope to possess. Still, by carefully opening the trees which are infested by these destructive insects, much can he learned of their habits, and many pleasant and instructive hours can be spent in this task. We will now proceed to examine some of the British species of the Longicorn Beetles.

Oui. first example is the largest, though by no means the

liandsomest, of our Lioug-liornod. Beetles. It is called PtIotius coHarius, and is represented of the natural size on Woodcut XX. Fig. 3. It is the only British representation of its family, the Prionidse, though there are many exotic species to it. In this family the lahrum is so small that it belonging is scarcely visible, while the mandibles are large and strong. The antennae are moderately serrated, and inserted just above the base of the mandibles, and the head is not narrowed behind into a neck. The thorax is rather squared and furnished with spines at the sides, and the elytra are lengthened, with blunt spines at the tips.

The colour of this Beetle is blackish-brown above and chestnut-brown below, the colom- being, however, rather variable in individuals. like the Stag Beetle it is exceedingly different specimens being twice as large as others, variable in size, some in size being probably owing to the quality and the difference The larva is white, flattish, broad at the quantity of the food. afterwards become the thorax, but narrowing part which will the tail. The rings, or segments, are deeply marked, towards small, the grub being able to force and the legs are very by the alternate extension and conitself through its burrow In this task it is aided by certain fleshy traction of its body. to the segments which constitute the projections attached of these larvae is shown on Woodcut XX. abdomen. One it makes its way towards the bark

^Hien it is nearly full-fed, and then forms from the woodof the tree on which it feeds, it awaits its change into the pupal form. chips a cocoon, in which the long and boldly notched an- In this stage of development, the sides of the body, over the elytra tenna are laid along being necessarily restricted to

This is not a common Beetle, districts. It is, however, much wooded habits, which wit owing to its peculiar

generally supposed, entomologists, wlio the notice of all but skilful

1-awitLm for it, but how to recognise it

not only know where to look Prionus is a lazy, sluggish soit

when they see it. For the betrays itself to the

insect, which seldom of darkness, and, contrary ^

is essentially a being

of many Beetles, carries into its Hnv it remains Dining e y

of its early stages of existence.

Plate Vi. Glow-Worm, Oil-Beetles, Weevils, Long-Horns, And Ladybirds.

Lampyris noctiluca (Male).
Lampyrie noctiluca (Female).
Meloe cicatricosus (Male).
Meloe cicatricosus (Female).
Phytonomus tigrinus.
Lixus bicolor.
Lixus bicolor, nest.
Aromia moschata. 10. Clytus arietis. 11. Cassida murina. 12. Coccinella septempunctata. Plants : — Willow (^Salix alba). Above, Wild Carrot {Daucus carota). Left of Middle.

Meloe cicatricosus, larva

(full grown),

perfectly still, clinging to the trunk of some tree, and harmonising so well with the colour of the surface that it may easily be mistaken for a mere excrescence of the bark. By night, however, it flies in search of its mate, and is sometimes seen by entomologists who are engaged in the pleasing task of ‘ sugaring’ for moths at night in some wood. Darenth Wood is one of the favoured localities of this insect, two specimens of which were lately captured there by E. Evans, Esq., as they were clinging to the bark in fancied security.

The name Prionus is taken from a Greek word, wliich signiifies a sawyer, and is given to the insect on account of its wooddestroying habits.

Next in order comes the family of the Cerambycidae. This name is a Greek one, and is apparently given to the group of Beetles on account of their long antennae, or horns, the Greek word keras (unfortunately written ceras) signifying a horn. In this family, the head is slightly bent downwards, the thorax is widened at the sides, and the antennae, which are never seriated, are inserted in the inner margin of the eyes, which are semilunar.

Our fiist example is the beautiful Music Beetle (^AvoTnicc [or Gerambyx] moscliata), an insect which is equally grateful to the eye and the nostril. One of these Beetles is shown on Plate VI. Fig. 9. This is really a lovely insect, the shape being peculiarly elegant, and the colour a soft green, sometimes glossed with blue, gold, copper, or bronze, the hue being exceedingly variable. Even the thorax partakes of this variability, being sometimes rough, and sometimes very smooth and glossy.

It owes its popular name to the powerful and pleasing odour which it exhales, and which is said by some persons to resemble ottar of roses. For my part, I never could perceive much resemblance between the somewhat sickly scent of the ottar and the fresh sweetbriar-like odour of the Beetle. This scent can be perceived at a considerable distance, and the presence of the Beetle can often be .-detected by it, even when the insect is itself concealed. Shortly after I came to live in West Kent, I was passing along the road, and declared that a Musk Beetle was in the neiglibourhood. My o companions, not knowing the

scent, conld not believe me, and made themselves rather merryon the subject. In the course of the day, however, one of the same party, a young lady, was passing by the same place, and carried off a fine Musk Beetle in her hair.

The scent of tins insect is said to he more powerful in the breeding season than at any other time of the year, and stronger in the female than in the male. This is very likely to he the case, and will serve to explain the mysterious manner in which many night-flying insects contrive to find their mates in the hours of darkness. In the present instance, the odour happens to be one of which our senses are cognisant ; hut it may well he that other insects, though to our nostrils absolutely may yet emit an odour which is as evident to them as scentless, is that of the Musk Beetle to us. The scent of this insect is as as it is powerful, and, if the Beetle be held with a enduring gloved hand, or wrapped in a handkerchief, it will impart either kid or cambric its peculiar odour, which mil last for a to the time. From a series of experiments made some few very long ago, I have come to the conclusion that the Musk Beetle years its odour at pleasure as long as it is in full can emit or retain that when the insect is weak, or in a dying state, it health, hut is unable to retain the scent.

The Musk Beetle is one of the Beetles which are popularly on account of the sound which they are called Squeakers, and which somewhat resembles the squeak capable of producing, will watch one of these insects while of a bat. If the reader he will find that it moves its producing the sound in question, down, so as to cause the sound by the head smartly up and against another. If the of one part of the hard surface friction hand, the whole body is perceived to Beetle be held in the quiver with the exertion. ■, o.i arc to he fonnd abundantly, there the

Wherever willow-trees it feeds on the interior of Beetle is sure to be, because Musk The pound on which my that tree while in the larval state. being very high, and the pil “ house stands perceiving the Musk Beetle very much surprised at thinking that no just been mentioned, some of these trees, ^ a after a while, I came upon kowever, on the tanks of of some 300 yards, growing

distance Sometimes a tree that ran in the valley below.

stream

absolutely riddled with the burrows of these larvse, which bore

deeply into the very heart of the timber, and leave little

except a shell of bark surrounding a sort of soft wooden sponge.

If one of these trees be opened, the scene disclosed is a very

remarkable one. In the first place, the scent of the Beetles is

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