300 FAMILY CERAMBYCIDAE 



Grub. — The larva is an elongate yellow grub, consisting of a square black 

 head with large stout mandibles. The thoracic segments are squarish, each 

 having a stout dorsal hard chitinous brown shining plate, and a pair of long- 

 jointed legs. The body segments are flat, yellow, darker medianly , the eleventh 

 ending in a stout sucker leg. The twelfth ends in a pair of stout black callipers. 



Beetle. — I have not yet taken the beetle. 



Life History. — The grub of this insect was taken in December inside a 

 broken calcareous cocoon in which it was curled up, apparently hiber- 

 nating or pupating. The cocoon was situated in a pupal chamber in 

 the heart of a Bntca frondosa tree which had recently died and was very 

 badly infested by the longicorn, a large number of cocoons containing 

 living beetles in situ being taken from pupal chambers in the heart- 

 w'ood of the tree. In or alongside the broken cocoon containing this grub 

 were the remains of the immature beetle it had consumed, the harder 

 chitinous parts, such as head and jaws and legs and antennae, having been 

 rejected. The grub was fat and swollen, in a comatose state, and was 

 probably about to pupate. It is shown in fig. 207 on the piece of wood in 

 which it was found, from a photograph taken on the spot by M. E. Stebbing. 



Neocerambyx. 

 One species of this genus has been reported from Taunggyi in the 

 Southern Shan States as infesting oak. 



Neocerambyx sp. 



Referen'CE. — Provisionally identified by Gahan as probably two species of possibly Neocerambyx at 



present unknown to him. 



Habitat. — Taunggyi, Southern Shan States. 



Tree Attacked. — Oak {Quercus ^rijfithii). Taunggyi (H. W. Watson). 

 Beetle. — Elongate. Head and thorax black, covered with a tine silky golden pubescence ; 

 elytra chestnut brown, often very dark, covered with a \'ery fine golden pubescence giving a 

 silky appearance to the insect. Head longitudinally channelled 

 Description. between the eyes and antennae, front with a deep transverse elliptical 



depression medianly, vertex very finely punctate, the whole except 

 the hind portion of vertex covered with a fine golden pubescence. First joint of antenna 

 obconical, thickened ; 2nd very short ; 3rd longer than ist and 2nd together ; 4th equals ist ; 

 5th longer than 4th but not as long as 3rd ; rest sub-ec|ual. Prothorax widest medianly, 

 covered with wavy irregular transv-erse ridges with a raised " collar " on anterior and posterior 

 margins. Elytra much wider than head and prothorax, moderately shining, smooth, sides 

 slightly constricted at level of posterior coxae, thence straight to apical fourth and then con- 

 stricted sharply to apex, w^hich is slightly truncate ; very finely punctate beneath the pubescence. 

 Under-surfacc densely set with a fine silky yellow pubescence, as also are legs and antennae. 

 Length, 61 mm. 



These beetles were sent to me by Mr. H. \V. A. Watson, as infesting 



oak {Quercus grijfiihii) in Taunggyi in the Southern Shan 



Life History. States, in company with the Massicus unicolor described 



below, p. 317. The Massicus appears to be the chief 



offender, although the life history of this Neocerambyx is likely to be somewhat 



similar to that observed by Mr, Watson for the former. 



