DORCUS BEETLES, 103 



shade, and so the hrown-red of the surface predominates over 

 tlie green. 



The thorax is covered with nudtitudinous hokl punctures, 

 between which run a vast numl^er of tiny wrinldes, too minute 

 to be detected by the unaided eye. The general hue of the 

 elytra is yellowish green, with a peculiarly satiny gloss, while a 

 narrow strip of dark metallic green runs on either side of the 

 suture. Below, the insect is wholly green, but not nearly so 

 bright as above. 



There is, liowever, considerable variation in the colour, some 

 specimens being almost wholly browai, and their mandibles 

 very small and witliout the large teeth. One such specimen has 

 jaws only about half an inch in length. Near the tip there is a 

 row of sixteen very tiny teeth, then a large rounded notch, and 

 then another row of minute teeth near the base. 



Tlie female is smaller than the male, has very small and com- 

 paratively feeble jaws, and is not so brilliantly coloured as her 

 mate. The colouring of an average specimen is as follows : — The 

 liead and thorax are brown with a cast of green, and covered 

 with large punctures. The elytra are reddish-brown, like new 

 mahogany, and upon them deep circular punctures are plenti- 

 fully scattered, between which are a vast number of tiny wrinkles. 



The generic name of Cydommatus, given to this Beetle and 

 its kin, is formed from two Greek words signifying " circle-eyed," 

 or "round-eyed." It is given to them because the eyes, instead of 

 being completely severed by the " ca-nthus " as in the preceding 

 insects, so that they look rather like four than two eyes, are 

 barely indented by it, and are therefore almost circular. The 

 insect comes f)"om Borneo. 



According to the system of Lacordaire, the Beetles of which 

 our common Dorcus is a familiar example are separated into a 

 distinct group called Dorcides, which is cliiefly distinguished by 

 the club of the antennpe. This consists of four joints, and the 

 projections are flatter than in the Stag Beetles. The whole body, 

 too, is rather flattened. 



Our insect is a small one, measuring oidy an inch in length, 

 Init the gigantic Beetle which represents the foreign Dorcidte is 

 four times that length, and correspondingly large in every respect. 

 Its name is Eunjtrachclvs Titan. 



