cxvi FAUNA HAWAIIENSIS 



beach. Widely distributed outside the islands to the west, it was probably an early 

 introduction from Fiji or Tahiti. 



Ceresium simplex is much more abundant and widely distributed than the 

 preceding. Though most common amongst the algaroba trees of the lowlands, it 

 has been occasionally bred from native forest trees at an elevation of 1500 ft. 

 It sometimes swarms around the electric light at night. Ciirtomerus pilicornis is 

 an introduction from the New World, now very common round Honolulu and 

 occasionally found as high as 1500 ft. in the mountains. The larva is found in 

 dead stems of various trees. We have observed it very commonly in the planted 

 forest of Eucalyptus, immediately behind the city. It is also found in dried stems 

 of some low-growing plants. The larva is parasitized by Ischiogonus palliatus and 

 /. pallidiceps. Clytus crinicornis is e.xcessively common throughout the islands on 

 felled trees of Prosopis, and some of the larger Leguminous species, and does damage 

 to the wood, if it is left lying exposed to its attack. It is not known to be attacked 

 by parasites, and is confined to the lowlands and lower mountain slopes. The beetle 

 is also frequently seen on various flowers. 



There are 14 species of the endemic genus Clytarhis, which is closely related 

 to the larger-sized PlagitJimysus. Excepting C. abnormis, which perhaps is not a 

 true member of the genus, all the species are attached either to Sophora chrysophylla 

 or Acacia koa. No species are known from Molokai or Lanai, the almost total 

 destruction of the native acacias on these islands being no doubt responsible for 

 their absence. Most of the species are attached to the twigs and small branches of 

 the trees, whereas the larger Plagithmysi feed usually beneath the bark of the trunks 

 and larger limbs. The larvae of Clytarhis are now much destroyed in some localities 

 by the comparatively recent introduction of the Braconid, Ischiogonus pallidiceps, and 

 /. palliatus also attacks them. In one case we noticed about 90 per cent, of the 

 larvae of C. fragilis to be destroyed by these parasites. On Maui, the remarkable 

 bird, Pseudonestor, is continually hunting for the larvae and those of Plagithmysus, 

 and its stomach is often entirely filled with this food. 



Plagithmysus is a genus of larger and more conspicuous beetles than Clytarhis. 

 There are 33 described species, and one or two still undescribed are known to me, 

 as well as the larvae of several others distinct from these. They are of very 

 remarkable appearance and often mistaken by non-entomologists for crickets or 

 grasshoppers. Their wings are partly exposed, continuing the outline of the elytra, 

 their folding being abnormal. The hind-body is extremely small, either in both sexes 

 or at least in the males. Many of the species are able to produce a sound by the 

 rubbing of the basal part of the hind legs, which are tuberculous, along the sculptured 

 margin of the elytra ; and some have stridulating organs on the middle and hind coxae, 

 the middle ones operating on the adjoining edge of the thorax, the hind ones on a 

 ridge on the basal segment of the abdomen. All have the usual stridulating apparatus 



