186 INSECTS AT HOME. 



There lias been some controversy among systematic entomo- 

 logists with regard to the insects which come next in order. 

 Some, thinking that they ought to form a separate group, have 

 given them the name of Xylophagi, i.e. ' timber-eaters ; ' while 

 others have contended that they are really Weevils, and ought 

 to form the last family of that group. The weight of opinion 

 seems to be on the latter side, and we will therefore take some 

 examples of the family of Weevils, called Hylesinidoe, i.e. 

 ' wood-devourers.' The name is a very appropriate one, as we 

 shall presently see. 



In this family of Weevils the head has but a very short beak, 

 and is globular in shape and deeply sunk in the thorax. The 

 antennae are elbowed, and have a long basal joint and a flattened 

 club. The front tibise are broad at the tip, and used for dig- 

 ging purposes, and the mandil)les are short, strong, sharp, and 

 triangular. They are all timber-feeders, and sometimes work 

 terrible destruction in the forests, even when the trees are still 

 living. 



Our first example of this insect is called Hylesinus crenatus, 

 and is represented on Woodcut XX. Fig. 1. This genus may 

 be known by the long oval club of the antenna?, and the slight 

 spurs of the tibise. The colour of this insect is black, the 

 thorax is thickly and boldly punctured. The elytra are pitchy- 

 black, and are botli striated and ' crenated,' i.e. covered with 

 marks like parts of circles. From t]iis peculiarity, the insect 

 has derived its specific title, crenatus. The interstices between 

 the striae are wrinkled. The body is covered with down, and 

 rather elongated. This is not a veiy common insect, but may 

 be found under the bark of old trees. Four species of this 

 genus inhabit England. 



On Woodcut XX. Fig. 2, is shown the most destructive 

 wood-eating Beetle that we have in this country. Its name is 

 Scolytus destructor^ and a very appropriate name it is, the 

 generic name being of Greek origin, and referring to the wind- 

 ing passages or burrows which it makes when in the larval 

 state, and the specific name explaining itself. There are six 

 species of Bn^ish Scolyti, but the present example serves as 

 the best type of the whole genus. This genus is distinguishfed 



