ABERRANT WOOD-BEETLES. 



103 



[Fig. 47.] plain, grayish-brown species, three- 



tenths of au inch, or a little more, in 

 length, with one tooth at the end of 

 each wing-cover, is very common at the 

 West, where it sometimes excites seri- 

 ous apprehensions in the spring, by bo- 

 ring into the twigs of apple trees ; but 

 BosTmcHus (SiNoxYLOK) basillake, Say.: ^^6ii^ iJ^Jury is of a transient character. 



a, larva; b, pupa; c, beetlo-alter Eiley. rJ^^Q ^ hasUaris (Fig. 47) is tWO-tCUthS 



of an inch in length, black, with reddish antennse, and each elytron with 

 a large red spot on the base, and three teeth at the end. The larva of 

 this species is usually found in the shag-bark hickory, which it some- 

 times destroys, by riddling the solid trunk with innumerable holes. It 

 also sometimes infests fruit trees, and has been found in the grape vine. 



Family XXXVII. LYMEXYLONID^. 



A small family of anomalous insects, founded upon the genus Lymexy- 

 lon, Fab., a term derived from the Greek Mme — a destroyer, and xulon — 

 ivood. They are elongated narrow beetles, with free heads, and short 

 serrate antenute; the elytra sometimes remarkably shortened, and with 

 the maxillary i^alpi often furnished with long branching appendages. 

 We have but few N. A. species, all of which are rare. The Lymexylon 

 nivale is notorious for the extensive destruction sometimes produced by 

 its larvae to the ship timber floating in the docks in the northern part 

 of Europe. At the suggestion of Linni3Bus the timber was sunk under 

 water at the time of the year when the females deposit their eggs, and 

 was thus preserved from their attacks. 



Family XXXVIII. CUPESID^. 



This is another small anomalous family, containing but four known 

 species, two of which inhabit K America, one is found in Chili, and the 

 other in the Phillipine Islands. The form is elongate, the elytra are 

 strong, sculptured with longitudinal ribs and square dei)ressions be- 

 tween them. The antenuee are filiform, and the head is tuberculate be- 

 hind, and attached to the thorax by a distinct neck. The Ciqyes cinerea, 

 of Say, is widely distributed but of rare occurrence. Mr. Say, however, 

 speaks of it as being sometimes found in considerable numbers about 

 old frame buildings. 



