﻿201 BRITISH BEETLES. 



elytra spined at the apex ; and the anterior coxa trans- 

 verse and wide apart. 



We possess but one genus and species, Prionus cori- 

 arius, the largest of the section in England. This in- 

 sect is by no means common, occurring very rarely 

 near London, though sometimes taken more frequently 

 in woods near the south-coast. It is a very large, dull 

 brown, flat, clumsily-built creature, having broad, ser- 

 rated antennae, prominent mandibles, strong spines to 

 the sides of its thorax, and wide tarsi ; it rests on the 

 trunks of trees during the day, and is usually taken 

 when flying heavily towards evening. 



Its larva is a broad, flattish, white grub, narrowed 

 behind, with its head bearing very strong small trian- 

 gular mandibles, and capable of being considerably re- 

 tracted into the first segment, which is short, the second 

 being large and flattened : it has six minute legs in 

 front, and also fleshy protuberances on the under side. 

 It feeds in solid timber, and forms a lai'ge cocoon with 

 pieces of gnawed wood, etc., taking the precaution (so 

 very prevalent in timber-feeding insects), when nearly 

 full grown, of boring its gallery towards the outer sur- 

 face of the tree in which it lives, so that the perfect 

 insect has but little work to do in making its escape. 



The CerambyciDtE are divided into four sub-families: 

 — the Cerambycides, Callidiades, Chjtides, and Obriadcs ; 

 and are distinguished by their slightly deflexed head, 

 unarmed tibiae, laterally dilated thorax, and sub-globose 

 anterior coxre, and by having their antennae (which are 

 generally very long, and never serrated) inserted at some 

 distance from the mandibles. 



The Cerambycides (in which the head is exserted, the 

 antennae have the second joint transverse, the thorax 



