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Head dark brown, almost black, broad, large and rough on the top ; mandibles triangular and sharp 

 pointed, bending or inclining towards each other ; somewhat longer than the head, and a little hairy 

 within ; having a tooth or spine on the inner edge, near the point, and another near the base. Thorax 

 of the same colour as the head ; very rough and uneven at top, being margined on the anterior and 

 posterior edges ; the sides being thin and serrated. Antennse, rather shorter than the insect, and placed 

 before the eyes. Scutellum triangular. Elytra brown and margined, not reaching to the anus. 

 Abdomen and legs dark red brown. The tibite with three small spurs. 



The larva of this beetle is a great fleshy grub, which lives in the stumps of tree. It 

 is eaten by many persons, by whom it is considered a great dainty. The perfect insect is 

 called by the natives the macokko beetle. The following observations, published by 

 Mr. Drury in the introduction to his third volume, will be read with interest from the 

 spirit of practical utility in which they are written. 



" The larvse or caterpillars, not only of this but of all the beetles that feed on decayed 

 wood, seem to be rich and delicate eating, particularly those of the Curculio palmarum 

 (\'id. Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 606. 1.), and in general all those of the Cerambyces. So that 

 every forest in the torrid zone afibrds a man plenty of very wholesome and hearty nourish- 

 ment, who has an instrument strong enough to cut in pieces the decayed trees. This 

 knowledge might have saved the lives perhaps of many seamen who have been shipwrecked 

 on desert equinoctial shores, which are generally covered with thick woods. Mr. Smcath- 

 man has met with many maritime people, who, by living on a scanty allowance of unripe 

 fruits, crude roots, coarse seeds, imts, and other trash, after a shipwreck, or in other cases 

 of distress so frequent mth people in the Afi'ican trade, have made themselves exceedinjj 

 sick, and much increased their hardships, which by means of these caterpillars only, might 

 have been greatly alleviated. The very best kind of vegetable food is but poor nourishment 

 for the labouring Europeans, if not accompanied with animal flesh, or at least with animal 

 or vegetable oils ; and such foods as seamen in distress meet with, as above mentioned, 

 have oftentimes very acrimonious qualities, and are dangerous even in small quantities to 

 those who eat them at intervals, either out of mere curiosity or to gratify their appetites ; 

 while these kinds of insect foods, abounding with a very rich and delicious oil, are conse- 

 quently the most wholesome and nutritious which men in the situation above described 

 could possibly procure, requiring no other preparation than roasting in any manner. (See 

 Philosophical Transactions.) To this kind of food may be added that of the termites and 

 locusts in general among the insect tribes, which are not only wholesome to all, but palatable 

 to many. At any rate they are sufficient to support life ; and the knowledge of such a 

 resource universally extended, might in many instances be the means of saving the lives 

 of adventurers to distant climes. Besides these means of subsistence, if the botanists could 

 point out a plain and obvious method for men in general to distinguish the noxious roots 

 and herbs from those which are edible, men thrown on any thing but mere rocks and sand- 

 banks would readily find subsistence, the kind hand of nature being extended all over the 



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