60 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



Ill the month of June or July, according to the 

 temperature of the country, the Stag-beetle deposits in 

 decayed oak wood her eggs, which are oval and yellow, 

 the larva) proceeding from which live from four to six 

 years before they become perfect. When full grown, 

 they are three inches long, thick, of a straw colour, with 

 a yellow head, brown jaws, and nine air-holes on each 

 side of the body. 



Two years ago I removed the post of my garden 

 gate, which was of oak and had become decayed, and 

 found around it, below the surface of the ground, 

 more than thirty of these grubs, which I put in a 

 vessel with the same decayed wood, but they died 

 during the winter. 



The Stag-beetle of Europe is of the same form 

 and colour, but more than as large again, and is there- 

 fore the largest Beetle of Europe. 



The Cossus (grubs), which the ancient Romans 

 considered so great a delicacy, were taken by them 

 from oak trees and were probably the same species. 

 Pliny says, "Praegrandes roborum delicatiores sunt 

 in cibo : Cossos vocant." 



The larva of the Stag-beetle, when full grown, pre- 

 pares from the earth its cocoon, which is of an oval 

 form, and in which it remains about four weeks, after 

 which time it emerges as a perfect insect. These 

 Beetles are found in all the States of the Union. 



