THE ELEPHANT BEETLE. 135 



has the horn doubly branched, and each branch forked. Indeed, 

 the shape of it is exactly like that of the well-known sea-weed 

 so familiar under the popular name of Carrageen or Irish Moss, 

 and the scientific name of C/wndrics crispus. 



The colour of the head and thorax is black, the former being 

 strongly wrinkled even to the tip of the horn, and the latter both 

 punctated and granulated, so as to give it a duller surface than 

 that of the head. The elytra are shining chestnut brown, some 

 specimens having more red in them than others. The fore-legs 

 are rather powerful, and the tibia is armed with three blunt 

 and strong projections. The generic name Xylotrupes signifies 



Fig. 63.— Xyiotrupes dichotonnis. 



(Black head and thorax, chestnut elytra.) 



" wood-borer," and is given to the insect on account of its sup- 

 posed powers of cutting branches so as to feed on the sap which 

 exudes from the wounded places ; and the specific name clicho- 

 totmis is also from the Greek, and signifies something that is 

 divided into two parts. This name of course refers to the pecu- 

 liar form of the head-horn. The insect is a native of China. 



The last of the Oryctidse which we can mention is the 

 splendid Beetle which has been appropriately named the 

 Elephant Beetle (Megalosoma elephas). 



In this enormous and formidable-looking insect the head is 

 very much lengthened and developed into two distinct horns, 

 one projecting in front just like the horn of the white rhino- 



