108 



ENTOMOLOGY. 



Fig. 105. — Common 

 hickory borer, o, 

 larva: b, pupa. 



Fig. 106.— Male. 



Pine-trees are infested by the borer or larva of Monohammus con 

 fusor Kirby, which tunnels the tree, and injures the lumber made from 

 it; the grub makes a creaking noise which may be heard some distance 

 from the tree in which it is at work. One of these beetles is known to 

 have issued from the pine wood of a bureau wherein it must have 

 lived fully fifteen years. The female lays her eggs in curvilinear 

 gashes in the bark in August, and the larva is two years in attaining 

 its full size. 



Living, healthy sugar-maples are gradually killed by the attacks of 

 a beautiful yellow-banded brown beetle (Plagionotus speciosus Say) 



which deposits its eggs in gashes 

 in the bark, the eggs being laid 

 late in July and in August. 

 The hickory "borer (Fig. 105)" and 

 a very closely allied species 

 w 7 hich destroys the locust-tree in 

 the Northern States, are among 

 the most injurious beetles of this 

 family. 



The subfamily Prion infe con- 

 tains almost the largest beetles 

 known ; among them is Ortho- 

 soma brunneum (De Geer). The species of Mallodon occur in the 

 Southern and Western States, and M.melanopusHnld. bores in the roots 

 of the young live-oak, dwarfing the tree. 



Family Spondylidae. — Tarsi not widened, 

 and with no brush of hairs beneath. P<i- 

 randra brunnea Fabr. 



Lamellicornia. 

 The beetles of this well-circum- 

 scribed group all agree in having 

 the antennas ending in a club com- 

 posed of three, sometimes as many 

 as seven, leaves or lamellae, while 

 the body is usually short and thick. 



Family Scarabaeidae.— Antennal lamella?, 

 capable of being closely shut into a com- 

 pact club. This group embraces the largest 

 Coleoptera and the most bulky of alT in- 

 sects, viz. , the gigantic Goliath' and Her- 

 cules beetles. Their larva? are soft-skinned, 

 thick-bodied, with rather long legs, and 

 4- jointed antennae; they live on roots, etc., 

 and often transform in underground 

 cells; the beetles devour leaves and the pollen of flowers. There 

 are nearly 7000 species. The Cetoniae comprise very large and beau- 

 tiful beetles; then conies our Southern Dynastes tityus Linn., an allied 

 species in South America being 1). hereult 8 Linn. These are suc- 



Fig. 107. — The lesser Pri- 

 onus. Natural size.— After 

 Riley. 



