82 



surface of our globe to every one who will accept the friendly invitation, and use the means 

 she has with such a motherly tenderness offered for our benefit and support. 



" Mr. Smeathman has assured me, that in clearing the ground in Africa he has found 

 great quantities of roots of the yam and potatoe kind (Convolvulus Batatas), that grew 

 spontaneously, and which the slaves from distant ulterior regions knew exceedingly well, 

 and sought for with great avidity. He lived near two years in Africa before he found that 

 the most excellent greens for boiling grew wild in every open glade of the island, and even 

 close to his very door. I mention these things because they are all within the power of 

 men in the most naked, unarmed, and unprepared situation, and require neither fire-arais 

 or other powerful apparatus to obtain them ; and shew that in these cases, as well as many 

 others, the study of natural history is of no small importance to mankind, since it may not 

 only promote trade, arts, and sciences, but be conducive to the immediate happiness and 

 safety of men's lives." 



PRIONUS (MALLODON) MELANOPUS. 



Plate XXXVIII. fig. 2. 



Order: Coleoptera. Section: Longicomes. Family: Prionidae, Leach. 

 Genus. Prionus, Geoffroy. Cerambyx p. Li?in. Subgenus. Mallodon, Sei-v. 



Prionus (Mallodon) Melanopus. Thoracc marginato denticulate, mandibulis porrectis multidentatis, elytris 

 ad apiceiii mucronatis. (Long. Corp. mandib. inclus. 2 iinc. 3 lin.) 



Syn. Cerambyx Melanopus, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1. W.p. 623. 8. Fahricius Sp. Ins. l.p. 208. 20. Syst. Eleuth. 

 U.p. 264. 34. Oliv. Ent. iv. 66. p. 18. t. 12./. 46. Meriaii Ins. Surinam., t. 24./. 1 . 

 Cerambyx crenulatua, Drury, App. vol. 2. 



Habitat : Jamaica (Drury). " In America Meridionali" (Fabr.). 



Head short and black. Mandibles short. Antennae dark brown, almost black ; shorter than the 

 insect. The thorax broad, rough and black, margined on the posterior and anterior edges ; having 

 many small sharp spines on its sides, the two last of which are larger than the rest, and having two 

 tubercles on the upper side. Elytra dark brown, almost black, margined on the sides and suture, with 

 a small spine on each, at the extremities, and extending a little beyond the anus. Abdomen smooth 

 and shining, and of a dark brown colour, nearly black. Sides of the breast hairy. Legs dark brown, 

 almost black, smooth and shining, with three small tibial spurs. 



PRIONUS (MALLODON) MAXILLOSUS. 



Plate XXXVIII. fig. 3. 



Order: Coleoptera. Section: Longicornes. Family: Vriomdts, Leach. 



Genus. Prionus, Geoffroy. Cerambyx p. Linn. Subgenus. Mallodon, Serv. 



Prionus (Mallodon) Maxillosus. Thorace marginato crenato, mandibulis porrectis intus hirsutis quadri- 

 dentatis, elytris ad apicem mucronatis. (Long. Corp. fere 2 unc. 3 lin.) 



Syn. Cerambyx Maxillosus, Drury, ^pp. jjoZ. 2. Fabridus Syst. Ent. p. \Q^. liil. Syst. EletUh. W. p. Wi. 

 31. Prionus m.) Oliv. Ent. iv. 66. p. 16. t. 1./. 3. 



Habitat : Barbuda, near Antigua, "where it was found dead at the foot of a tree." (Drury). America (Fabr.). 



