56 FOREST ENTOMOLOGY. 



an inch in length, black, with bright yellow bands, beautifully marked 

 behind the head and across the body. The general appearance is 

 rather suggestive of designs for carriage decoration. The legs are 

 rather long, and of a light terra-cotta colour. The antennae are about 

 half the length of the body, partly black, and partly the same colour 

 as the legs. 



This beetle is not an arboreal insect, in the true sense of the term, 

 inasmuch as it does not attack living trees, but it is nevertheless a 

 timber insect. In looking for arboreal insects we may come across it 

 under the bark, and its appearance, habits, and specific characteristics 

 justify the student of forest entomology placing it in his cabinet. 



Genus Ehagium. 



This genus is one which, though entirely arboreal, is not of very 

 great economic importance in forestry. It is, however, one of those 

 insects which it would be well to get familiar Avith, inasmuch as I 

 have perhaps had more specimens of Rhagium bifasciatum sent me 

 for identification, as being found in the forest, than any other class 

 of insects. There are three species in the genus, two of which are 

 very common in Northumberland viz., R. bifasciatum and R. 

 inquisitor. 



The following, according to Fowler, 1 are the specific characters : 

 I. Antennae very short ; elytra rather strongly pubescent, without 

 distinct oblique yellowish bands. 



1. Head straight behind eyes; raised lines on elytra ceasing 



considerably before base . . R. inquisitor, F. 



2. Head narrowed behind eyes ; raised lines on elytra continued 



almost to base R. indagator, Gyll. 



II. Antennae longer; elytra feebly pubescent, with two strongly 



marked oblique yellowish bands on each R. bifasciatum, F. 



Ehagium inquisitor (F.) 



The beetles may very easily be reared from the larvae, which may 

 be looked for in ash, oak, and other logs which have been lying in the 

 woods until the bark has decayed and the sapwood dissolved into a 

 black moist powder. The larvae when full-fed are about an inch in 

 length, pure white, with a light-brown head. If the larger- sized 

 specimens are collected in February and March, and kept in the 



1 Vol. iv. p. 231. 



