NOTKS ON rHK IIRITISH LONGICORNES. 221 



and a-half times as louf^j as tlie body. Tliorc is a specimon in tlie 

 Britisli Museum, iu whieh the legs being spread out, measure from 

 tarsus to tarsus exactly one foot. One oould continue indetinitely 

 mentioning curious and beautiful forms, but our present space will not 

 permit. Some of the finest examples of mimicry and protective resem- 

 blance in Coleoptera are to be found in this group, many being coloured 

 like the trees and other surroundings amongst which they live, others 

 closely resembling ants, was})s and other insects, as well as beetles in 

 other families. A most wonderful case is to be met with in Borneo, a 

 large Longicorne, Colohorhomhus fasciatipennis, mimics an equally 

 large Hymenopteron, Mijijninua ainculns. The wing-cases of the 

 beetle are reduced to a very small size, and its true wings are coloured, 

 and have a white ])atch at the apex in exact imitation of the wasp. 

 When flying or on the ground at a distance of six feet, it is (juite 

 impossible to distinguish the wasp from the beetle. 



i^Iany species possess the power of stridulation. Tiie sound is 

 produced by moving the head up and down, when tlie inner side of the 

 hinder margin of the thorax is rubbed against a short neck before the 

 scutellum, over which the thorax joins the elytra. This I have observed 

 in Agapantliia and some other species when held or first secured ; I 

 also remember taking my first specimen of Toxotns meridianus by 

 hearing the beetle stridulating, and tracing the sound to a branch on 

 Avhicli it was sitting. Some species have the power of emitting a 

 strong smell, agreeable in some cases, as with our well-known musk 

 beetle, in others, quite the reverse. 



In the last Catidogue of llritish Coleoptera, by Canon Fowler and 

 Dr. Sharp, the number of British species enumerated is 56, and witn 

 two introduced species and one doubtful one. the total is lironght up 

 to 5U. 



The Longicornia are divided into three families — I'rionidae, 

 Cerambycidav and Laiuiidae — of which we possess <me species in the 

 first family, 41 in the second (including the tw^o introduced species 

 and the one doubtful one ])efore mentioned), and 17 in the last. 



They may be divided as follows : — 



I. rrostornum considerably produced in a blunt process 

 behind anterior coxae ; thorax margined, with the sides 

 armed with spines or teeth ; labruni very small, usually 

 connate with clypcus ... ... ... ... ...riiioNiDiE. 



II. Prosternum not or scarcely produced behind anterior 

 coxo! ; thorax not margined, with the sides sometimes 

 armed with spines and teeth, but usually simple in our 

 species ; labrum free and distinct. 



1. Anterior tibire not grooved on their inner side ... ...CERAMnY0iD.T3. 



2. Anterior tibia; grooved obliquely on their inner side ...LAMiin^'E. 



The Ceramhi/cidne arc again divided into Ceramhi/cina and 

 I.epturinn, with eight genera in the former and seven genera in the 

 hitter, but as all the British species are quite ea.sy to determine, it is 

 unnecessary for us to go more fully into the classification here. 



Most oi the L(mgicornes are rare in this country. Rye, in his 

 Jiri/is/i litet/t'ssnyn: — "The young collector will probaldy be some 

 time before he takes more than Toxotit.s, one or two small species of 

 (Iraniopfera, Cli/fits <irie( is, aud a llli(i<j{i(iii." 



AVe will now take a short view of our species, taking them in the 

 order of the catalogue before raeutioned. I should like to call attention 



