LONG HORNED BEETLES. 107 



There is still another small family of beetles that is located 

 between the lamellicorns and the true cerambycids. It is the 

 family Spondylidae, composed of but a few species of beetles. 

 One of them is very common in Minnesota, especially under the 

 bark of pine trees. It is the Brown Parandra, ( Parandra 

 brunnca Fab.), an insect of a mahogany-brown color, highly pol- 

 ished, with short feelers, which have deep impressions in which 

 are situated 'the organs of special sense. It is shown in ( Fig. 

 114, Plate IV). 



FAMILY LONG-HORNS. 



( Ccrambycidac) . 



This large family contains about six hundred described 

 species in North America alone. The beetles composing it are of 

 medium or large size, graceful in form, and some are very beau- 

 tiful in color and markings. Their body is oblong, often cylin- 

 drical, with a vertical, broad head armed with large mandibles. 

 The eyes are peculiar, being hollowed out (lunate) on the inner 

 side, with the feelers implanted in the hollows ; the latter are 

 long, sometimes longer than the whole body, tapering towards 

 the tip, especially in the males, and are, with the exception of the 

 Prionidae, composed of eleven joints. Their legs are also usuallv 

 very long, and the joints of the tarsi, with long claws, are well 

 adapted to anchor them safely upon the trees on which they hide 

 and feed. Nearly all long-horns can run and fly with almost 

 equal ease, but some species living in the Western treeless prairies 

 possess no true wings. As a general rule, however, these beetles 

 depend more upon hiding for tbeir safety than upon running or 

 flying, and in many cases their colors and markings blend ex- 

 ceedingly well with the objects upon which they rest. When 

 held between the fingers some of them can produce a sort of in- 

 dignant squeaking by rubbing together the prothorax and meso- 

 thorax ; but some of them also produce this sound, stridulation, 

 to call their mates. 



The larvae are borers, living in the solid parts of trees and 



