008 



FAMILY XLTX. — LUCANIDyF,. 



Throughout the State; freiiueut. Ai)i'i] lO-Oetober 25. Occurs 

 in and about decavinsr beech, oak and other hio-s. 



Y. pASSAi.rs Fal)r. l/!)2. ((!r., "a post or peg.") 



i\rentum deei)ly eiiiarginate, the noteh being tilled by the large 

 liorn-like ligula; antennsp stout, not elbowed, but in repose so curved 

 as to appear so; body distinctly pedunculate, the scutellum in front 

 of the l)ase of elytra. One species occurs tliroughout the United 

 States. 



*1721 (54124). I'A.ssALTS eoKNUTis Fab., S.yst. Elent., II, 1801, 25G. 



Elongate, somewhat flat- 

 tened, parallel, robust. Black, 

 shinini;. Head armed with a 

 short, bent hook. Thorax quad- 

 rate, angles r o u n d e d ; disk 

 smooth, with a deep median 

 impressed line. Elytra deeply 

 striate, the strire fiuel.v punc- 

 tured. Length 32-36 mm. (Fig. 

 ::5S.) 



This well-known spe- 

 cies, coinuionly known as 

 the "hoi-n" or "bess-bee- 

 tle, " occurs abundantly 

 throughout the State. It 

 hibernates in its usual 

 abiding ])laccs, the juicy depths oi' half-decayed logs and stumjis. 

 They are often utilized as horses l)y country children, the horn 

 furnishing an inviting projection to which may be fastened, by a 

 thread or cord, chips and [)ieces of bark to be dragged about by the 

 strong and never-lagging beast of burden. When tired of "play- 

 ing horse" they c;in make of the insect an instrument of music; 

 for, when held hy the body, it emits a creaking, hissing noise, pro- 

 dticed by rubbing the al)domen up and down against the inside of 

 the hard, hoj'ny wing covers. The larva is remarkable in having 

 only the four front legs of normal siz(\ the hind pair being aborted. 

 Januarv 11 -November 26. 



rig. 358. a, larva; 6, pupa; c. beetle; d, hind leg of larva, showing 

 atrophied joints; e, same, enlarged. (After Riley.) 



VI. NiCAors Lee. 18(il. f Or., "to lead in victory. ") 



The only member of this genus, usually ])]a('ed among the Scai'a- 

 bandiP, has ])een i-ecently transfm-reil to the present family. It 

 differs widely in appearance from tlio other Lueanidie, more re- 

 seinbling a nearly smooth Trox. Th(> joints of the antenna! club 



