IQ2 FAMILIiE. {Jpis. **. d. 2. /?.) 



begun to make her appearance, she frequently re- 

 turnSj and during a long period; and she may 

 ahvays be known by her size, and her hum, which 

 much resembles that of the Bomhinatrices. The 

 object of her earlier visits is to fix upon a piece of 

 wood proper for her purposes. She usually selects 

 the putrescent uprights of arbours, espaliers, or the 

 props of vines ; but sometimes she will attack gar- 

 den seats, thick doors, and window shutters; the 

 piece that she chooses is commonly cylindrical and 

 perpendicular to the horizon. Her strong maxillae 

 are the instruments which she employs in boring 

 it : beginning on one side for a little way she points 

 lier course obliquely downwards, and then pro- 

 ceeds in a direction parallel with its sides, till she 

 has bored a tunnel of from twelve to fifteen inches 

 in length, and seven or eight lines in diameter. 

 Sometimes three or four of these tunnels, or pipes, 

 nearly parallel with each other, where the diameter 

 will admit of it, are bored in the same piece. A 

 passage is left v/here she enters or first begins to 

 bore, and another at the other end of the pipe. 

 As the industrious animal proceeds in her employ- 

 ment, she clears away the wood, which she de- 

 taches, throwing it out upon the ground, where it 

 appears like a small heap of saw- dust. Thus we 

 see she has prepared a long cylinder in the middle 

 of the wood, sheltered from the weather and exter- 

 nal injuries, and fit for her purposes. But how is 

 she to divide it into cells ? What materials can she 



employ 



