XYLOPHACJA — UROCERID>E. 21 



XYLOPHAGA. 



This series contains only one fiunily of rather small extent, havin<j 

 the abdomen attached to the thorax as in the Phyllo})haga, and dif- 

 fering from that series by the anterior tibiae having but one apical 

 spur, and the borer-like ovipositor fitted for boring into solid wood. 



In the larva state these insects live in the interior of trees, boring 

 large holes and often causing great destruction, especially to ])ine 

 timber. 



Family UROCERIDiE. 

 Table of Genera. 



Abdomen more or less compressed, generally long and sometimes subclavate ; 

 the ovipositor not or but slightly exserted ; anterior wing with two 

 marginal and four submarginal cells. 



Antennse thickened toward apex, subclavate CopliU!^ Latr. 



Antenua> filiform, not thickened toward apex JailUS Steph. 



Abdomen cylindrical or depressed. 



Ovipositor not or but slightly exserted, apex of the abdomen smooth and 

 rounded ; anterior wing with one marginal and two submarginal cells, 

 the nervures not distinctly defined; antennte irregular; vertex tu- 



berculate Oryssus Latr. 



Ovipositor considerably exserted. 



Neck elongate ; anterior wing with two complete marginal and four complete 

 submarginal cells, the first and second submarginal cells each receiving 



a recurrent nervure Xipliydria Latr. 



Neck not elongate ; anterior angles of prothorax strongly produced ; a])ex of 



9 abdomen depressed and terminating in a point or horn-like process. 



Two marginal cells, the second very long and indistinctly defined at tip; 



three submarginal cells, the first very small, the second and tbird each 



receiving a recurrent nervure l^roeeriis* Geoff. 



One complete marginal, and two complete submarginal cells, the first small 

 and narrow, the second very long, extending beyond the marginal and 

 receiving both recurrent nervures Troiiiex Jur. 



* European writers, with few exceptions, appear to have adupted Sirex Linn, 

 in preference to rrocerns, which was well described l)y GeoHVoy four years ante- 

 rior to the i)ul)lication of the twelfth edition of the " Sy.stema Naturse," in which 

 Linnaeus first descril)ed Sire.r, although the name luid been suggested by him as 

 early as IKiL Westwood, in his "Introduction," etc., gave. api)arently. valid 

 reasons for the adoption of Urocerus in preference to Sirex, but in later years ha*; 

 described a number of s])ecies under the Linnaean name. Our sjiecii's, however, 

 are so well known under the family name Uroceriche, and the generic name 

 Urocerus, that we prefer to avoid confusion and make uo change for the present. 



