1838. HOUSE— No. 72. 89 



bycidce, or Capricorn beetles. The larvae, in common language 

 called borers^ are eminently wood-eaters, and exceedingly injurious 

 to vegetation. These insects, which are very numerous, are distin- 

 guished by their long and tapering antennae inserted into a notch of 

 the eyes, which are kidney-shaped ; the body is elongated ; the 

 thorax cylindrical or quadrate ; the feet are formed for standing se- 

 curely ; the first three joints dilated, and covered with spongy cush- 

 ions beneath, the third being also divided into two lobes, between which 

 issues the fourth joint, which is terminated by two strong, curved 

 and simple claws. They fly well, and usually by night. During 

 the day they remain in concealment. When annoyed or taken into 

 the hands, they make a querulous noise. By nodding its head, the 

 insect causes the base of the thorax to rub against the base of the 

 abdomen, and these parts being corneous emit a squeaking sound, 

 whence one of these insects is, in Germany, called the fiddler. The 

 antennae of the females are usually shorter than those of the males ; 

 many of the former also have a tubular, jointed, i-etractile apparatus 

 at the posterior extremity, which is capable of being drawn out like 

 the joints of a telescope, and which serves to conduct the eggs into 

 the place where they are to be deposited. The larvae constitute the 

 principal nourishment of wood-peckers. 



In Prionus the body is flattened, and the thorax is broad, square, 

 and toothed at the sides. The female lays her eggs in crevices of old 

 trees. The eggs are oblong and man}^ in number. The larva have 

 the body divided into twelve segments, and are white, except the 

 head, which is horny and yellowish ; the diameter of this part also 

 is somewhat greater than that of the body. They have three pair of 

 minute feet near the head ; but the motions are principally effected 

 by the contractions and dilatations of the body, aided by the little 

 projections or tubercles which cover the seven terminal segments. 

 The metamorphoses of the insects of this genus, as well as of all 

 the other Cerambycidce, occur in the places where the larvae reside. 



Prionus brevicornis is found in the perfect state during the month 

 of July. Its larva feeds upon the trunks of the Lombardy poplar, 

 the balsam poplar, or balm of Gilead, and probably upon other spe- 

 cies of poplar. 



Prionus cylindricus inhabits the pine. The perfect insect fre- 

 12 



