1904.] 33 



HELP-NOTES TOWARDS THE DETERMINATION OF BRITISH 

 TENTUREDINIDJS, &c. (7). 



BY THE KEV. F. D. MORICE, M.A., F.E.S. 



XYELA AND THE SIRICID^. 

 The family of the Lydidce, as defined by Konow, embraces, besides 

 the Lydini and CepJiini, a third subfamily, the Xyelini, which is re- 

 presented in England by one species of one genus, y\z., Xyela julii, 

 Breb. Any one fortunate enough to find this rare and curious little 

 insect should be able to determine it at once by its extraordinary an- 

 tennae. There are figured in Cameron, vol. ii, pi. vi, and I have already 

 mentioned their unique structure in the Table of Genera. The insect 

 has several times occurred in this country, but I never took it myself, 

 and, having only foreign specimens, will merely refer any one wishing 

 for more information about it to Mr. Cameron's Monograph. 



We may now pass to the Siricidce. The genera of these which 

 have been found in Britain are (1) Xiphydria, (2) Sirex, and — teste 

 Stephens — (3) Oryssus. 



(1) Of Xiphydria we have two species, commonly known as 

 eamelus, L., and dromedarius, P. These names express rather felici- 

 tously the similarity between the two, and their common peculiarity 

 of a very elongate "neck." Konow has shown, however, that Geof- 

 f roy's name 2>rolonyata has " priority " over dromedarius ; and 1 suppose 

 we must, however regretfully, adopt it, since the laws of nomenclature 

 recognise no such principle as the " Survivals of the Fittest," 



Prolongata is known at once from eamelus by the conspicuous red 

 on its abdomen. In the ? especially this part is red nearly to the 

 apex. Camelus has no red on the body. Its abdomen is simply black 

 with creamy-whitish lateral spots. 



Camelus is attached to the alder. Most British specimens are 

 from Scotland and the North of England. 



Prolongata, on the contrary, is generally found in southern 

 counties. I once met with a good many specimens (but all males) in 

 the hollow interior of a large half -decayed willow near Eipley (Surrey). 

 As far as I know, neither species can be called common in col- 

 lections. Prolongata has come to me occasionally for determination 

 from correspondents, but camelus never. I have seen, however, at 

 South Kensington a fine ? of the latter, taken (1 believe somewhere 

 in the Midland Counties) by Colonel Terbury. 



(2) As to Sirex, it seems useless to enumerate particular localities, 

 and impossible to say for certain which of the recorded species are 



