CHAPTER XII. 



LONGICORNES. 



This group of Beetles derives its name from the shape of the 

 antennae, which are generally long, though in some of our 

 commonest species they are only of moderate length ; but, 

 whether they be long or short, they are never clubbed, and are 

 mostly slender and thread-like. Their head is not lengthened 

 into a beak like that of the preceding group, and the elytra are 

 always broader at the base than the thorax. There are other 

 peculiarities of structure, but these are quite sufficient to dis- 

 tinguish them. Indeed, there is something so characteristic 

 in the appearance of a Lougicorn Beetle, that even a novice 

 finds no difficulty in recognising it. 



They are all wood-borers in the larval condition, and are 

 thin, long, whitish grubs, rather flattened, and with the seg- 

 ments boldly marked. By means of this latter structure, the 

 larva? are able to force their way through the wooden tunnels in 

 which they live. They possess the usual six legs, but these 

 limbs are only rudimentary, and of no use in locomotion. One 

 of these larvae is shown on Woodcut XX. Fig. a. As the grub 

 has to feed upon hard material, it is furnished with very strong 

 horny jaws, and, in order to accommodate the muscles which 

 move these jaws, the head is very broad and covered with a hard 

 skin, nearly as strong indeed as the jaws themselves. In conse- 

 quence of their habits, the proceedings of the larvae are difficult 

 of observation, and require machinery such as few entomolo- 

 gists can hope to possess. Still, by carefully opening the trees 

 which are infested by these destructive insects, much can be 

 learned of their habits, and many pleasant and instructive 

 hours can be spent in this task. We will now proceed tc 

 , examine some of the British species of the Longicorn Beetles. 



Our first example is the largest, though by no means the 



