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Cortioium is in suitable condition, the larva of Ahdera is easily found beneath 

 it. As I have informed several of my correspondents that the Corticium grows 

 on the fallen branches after they have fallen, I wish especially to point out that 

 that is not the case, and that although the fallen branches only are available in 

 searching for the beetle, the proper habitat of the fungus, and consequently of 

 the beetle is, I have fully satisfied myself, on the tree, and their being on the 

 ground is to be regarded as an accident. 



The Corticium is a thin fleshy fungus, of a reddish chocolate coloiir, lying 

 flat against the bark on which it grows, of a tougher consistence than its 

 appearance suggests, and when dry it is a thin, hard, dark-coloured scale, which 

 finally curls up and falls off, leaving the bark little altered in appearance, but no 

 doubt advauced a stage in the process of decay. 



Ahdera hifasciata is one of the Melandryadce, a family of the Heteromera. 

 The Heteromera are a somewhat incongruous group, and even in the Melan- 

 dryadce there are species of somewhat differing affinities. Abdera, however, 

 appears to be closely related to the typical genus Melandrya. 



I can give you no information regarding the oviposition of Abdera hifas- 

 ciata, but throughout the winter the larvae may be found of various ages beneath 

 the Cm-ticium quercinum, and cleaily feeding on those portions of it nearest the 

 bark. Towards April and May they are full-fed, and each makes its way 

 directly into the wood for a short distance, though sometimes for nearly half an 

 inch, and then makes a little cell of its own length parallel with the fibres of 

 the wood, in which it changes to pupa. The entrance to the cell is protected 

 by being stuffed with the sawdust removed in its formation. The larva turns 

 round with its head towards the opening before assuming the pupal state. The 

 perfect insect emerges in July ; in doing so it enlarges the opening of the cell. 

 Though this is the usual habit of the larvoe, it often happens that the fungus 

 begins to peel off before they are full-fed, and then the larvse make their way 

 into the superficial layers of the bark, in which they seem to find sufficient 

 nutriment, possibly the mycelium of the fungus, to feed them to full growth. 



The full grown larva of Ahdera hifasciata is 5 mm. in length, its general 

 aspect is much that of a longicorn, the second segment, into which the head 

 can be retracted, being the broadest. The head is rather longer than broad. 

 The strong jaws seen from below are gouge or scoopshaped, on the upper side a 

 slight projection is to be seen near the apex, the labrum is as long as the 

 jaws, rounded, with a fringe of fine hairs, and with a line across near its edge, 

 which does not seem to indicate a joint. The maxillte have each a three jointed 

 palpus, their inner angles are produced into an organ of similar shape to the 

 palpus, and fringed with short setre towards the extremity of its inner margin ; 

 this organ does not appear to be jointed to the rest of the maxilla. The labium, 

 difficult to observe between the maxillae, appears to be a rounded plate, 

 divided into a basilar half, which seems dotted with obsolete hairs and from 

 whose margin there ajipear to rise two three jointed palpi, of which the large 



