96 DR. HARRIS'S REPORT. April, 



is another species, however, closely allied to Rhagium salicis of 

 Europe, and which was obtained by Mr. Leonard from the sill of an 

 old door. This species does not appear to have been described, 

 and I, therefore, would call it R. decoloratum, the elytra appearing 

 as if their original color had faded away. It is highly probable that 

 the other sex may have elytra of a blue color. 



The CrioceridoR have some resemblance to the Capricorn beetles. 

 Besides some minute differences, they are distinguished by their short 

 antennae, composed of cylindrical or globose joints, which are of the 

 same size or even larger towards the extremity ; the eyes do not 

 surround the base of the antennae ; the thorax is cylindrical ; and 

 the body is of an oblong quadrate form ; the feet are shorter, but 

 are furnished, like those of the cerambyx family, with cushions be- 

 neath. 



In the genus Crioceris^ the eyes are prominent, globose, with a 

 minute notch in the anterior margin ; the joints of the antennae are 

 very short ; and the thorax is abruptly contracted in tlie middle. 

 When held between the fingers, they make a sound like that of the 

 Capricorn beetles. They deposit their eggs in parcels of eight or 

 ten together, on the leaves of plants. The larvae are hatched upon 

 these leaves. Their bodies are short and cylindrical ; their heads 

 are horny ; and they have six feet. The vent is situated at the 

 upper part of the posterior extremity, so that their excrement falls 

 on the back, and, by the contraction and dilatation of the segments, is 

 pushed forwards towards the head ; this process is repeated until the 

 back is entirely coated with it. This covering shields their soft and 

 tender bodies from the heat of the sun, and probably serves to se- 

 cure them from the attacks of their enemies. When the mass ac- 

 cumulated becomes too heavy or too dry, the insect throws it off, 

 but replaces it again in the course of two or three hours. In eating, 

 the larvae move backwards, never devouring the portion of leaf im- 

 mediately before the head, but that which lies under it. In about a 

 fortnight the larva attains its full size, crawls from the plant, enters 

 the earth, and forms a little cell of grains of earth which are ce- 

 mented and lined by a glutinous fluid emitted from the mouth. Fif- 

 teen days afterwards the perfect insect throws off its pupa skin, rup- 

 tures its cocoon, and ascends from the earth. The pupae of the 



