COLEOPTERA. 87 



tumors, caused by the efforts of the trees to repair the injuries 

 they have suffered. According to the observations of General 

 H. A. S. Dearborn, who has given an excellent account* of this 

 insect, the grubs attain their full size by the twentieth of July, 

 soon become pupae, and are changed to beetles and leave the trees 

 early in September. Thus the existence of this species is limited 

 to one year. 



White-washing, and covering the trunks of the trees with graft- 

 ing composition, may prevent the female from depositing her eggs 

 upon them ; but this practice cannot be carried to any great ex- 

 tent in plantations or large nurseries of the trees. Perhaps it will 

 be useful to head down young trees to the ground, with the view 

 of destroying the grubs contained in them, as well as to promote 

 a more vigorous growth. Much evil might be prevented by em- 

 ploying children to collect the beetles while in the act of providing 

 for the continuation of their kind. A common black bottle, con- 

 taining a little water, would be a suitable vessel to receive the 

 beetles as fast as they were gathered, and should be emptied into 

 the fire in order to destroy the insects. The gathering should be 

 begun as soon as the beetles first appear, and should be continued 

 as long as any are found on the trees, and furthermore should be 

 made a general business for several years in succession. I have 

 no doubt, should this be done, that, by devoting one hour every 

 day to this object, we may, in the course of a few years, rid our- 

 selves of this destructive insect. 



The largest Capricorn-beetle, of the Cerambycian family, found 

 in New England, is the Lamia (Monohammus) titillator of Fabri- 

 cius, or the tickler, so named probably on account of the habit 

 which it has, in common with most of the Capricorn-beetles, of 

 gently touching now and then the surface on which it walks with 

 the tips of its long antennas. Three or four of these beetles may 

 sometimes be seen together in June and July, on logs or on the 

 trunks of trees in the woods, the males paying their court to the 

 females, or contending with their rivals, waving their antennas, and 

 showing the eagerness of the contest or pursuit by their rapid 

 creaking sounds. 



* Massachusetts Agricultural Repository and Journal, Vol. VI. p. 272. 



