34 A. COTTAM — OTJE BEITISH BEETLES : 



One of these {Astynomus mlilis) is the hest example we have of 

 a " longhorn." It is only found at Rannoch in Perthshire, rrom 

 its habit of settling on pine-logs with its antennae spread out like a 

 pair of compasses as if measuring the timber, the Highlanders have 

 given it the name of the " timberman," a name, as Mr. Rye remarks, 

 "curiously enough, also applied to it in Lapland and Sweden, 

 where it is common." 



One of our commonest longhorns is the "musk beetle" (Aromia 

 moschata), so called from its exuding a delicious odour of musk, 

 even for some time after its death. Another, called the " wasp 

 beetle " {Clytus Arietis), is a tolerably common insect. 



All the Longicornes are wood-feeders, and are consequently more 

 or less difficult to find, and variable in size. 



In this section the antennae are long, never clubbed, and 

 generally filiform or setaceous, with a long basal joint. The eyes 

 are more or less kidney-shaped. The legs are long, the tibiae 

 without external spines but spurred at the apex. The tarsi have 

 the three basal joints silky or spongy beneath, the first and second 

 widened, the third bilobed, and the fourth either obsolete or hidden 

 between the lobes of the third, the apical joint being long, slender, 

 and strongly clawed. 



10. The Phttophaga oe Eupoda. 



The name Phytophaga means "plant-feeders," a name which 

 would be equally applicable to the two preceding sections, the 

 Rhynchophora and the Longicornes. The insects included in 

 this section are very distinct in form from those of either of the 

 two before mentioned. There are very few even moderately large 

 ones, most are more or less convex in form, diurnal, and of bright 

 metallic colours. The antennae are straight, never elbowed, either 

 filiform, moniliforra, or serrate. 



One of the largest of them is commonly known as the " bloody- 

 nosed beetle," from a habit it has when handled of exuding from 

 the mouth a drop of clear red fluid. This is the first of the Chryso- 

 melidae or " golden-apple " beetles, a family containing some of the 

 most gorgeous and brilliant of our beetles. 



Most members of this section are very slow-moving insects, but 

 one family, the Halticidae, have the hinder thighs thickened, and 

 are very active jumpers. The best known, although one of the 

 smaller of the family, is the " turnip fly or flea " {Thilotreta nemo- 

 rum). It is often very abundant, and in every stage is most de- 

 structive to the turnip-crop. 



In this section is included a family, the species of which hardly 

 look like beetles, — the back is a nearly flat shield, under which the 

 beetle is hidden, head, legs, and all. One species, Cassida viridis, 

 is very common on thistles. The section contains about 230 British 

 species. 



11. The Psetjdoteimeea. 



The beetles forming this section are very dissimilar, families of 



