173 
in various parts of England, and in Scotland. Not improbably, 
in some instances, it has been introduced, in the larva state, in 
timber imported for building purposes. 
This insect is remarkably distinguished by the extreme length 
of the antenne. Most of the Cerambycide have the antennz 
long, whence they are called Longicornes. But in this species they 
are longer, I believe, than in any other, native or foreign ; 
sometimes attaining to four or five times, Linnzus says even six 
times, the length of the body. The specimen exhibited has the 
antenne about four times the length of the body, which itself is 
an inch long, but they hardly admit, in their present dried state, 
of being measured accurately from their having become shrivelled 
and somewhat contorted since the insect was alive.* 
The Acanthocinus edilis is described or noticed by most of our 
writers on British Entomology, but none mention the size as 
large as that of the present specimen. Stephens sets its length 
at from 8 to 10 lines. Its long antenne are very moveable, and 
said to be capable of being directed either forward or backward, 
or supported in an erect position. ‘When it sleeps, it reclines 
them along its back, as also when it walks quickly, or has to pass 
through a narrow tract, as the least resistance from anything in 
its way, would be liable to injure or break them off.” 
The only coloured figure of it I know is that in Donovan’s 
British Insects ;+ but it represents a very small specimen, and 
_ the colour does not at all come up to the colours of the present 
specimen, which are brighter and more varied.{ Donovan’s 
* I had no opportunity of seeing it till several days after it had 
been killed. 
+ Vol. il, pl. 72. 
t A coloured figure of the recently captured specimen accompanies 
this paper. It is curious that in the oldest of all our works on 
Entomology—Moufet’s Insectorum Theatrum, published two hundred 
and fifty years ago, with woodcuts mostly wretchedly executed,—there 
isa very fair representation of this insect recognisable at a glance. 
