232 INSECTS ABROAD. 



weather. The mimosa trees are terribly infested with this de- 

 structive Beetle. 



There is no difficulty in distinguishing the Prionidae. Their 

 heads are squared and there is no neck, and the thorax is also 

 squared and drawn out into a sharp, tooth-like projection on 

 either side. The elytra are sharp and spine-like at the tips. In 

 England there is only one species of this family, — namely, 

 Prionus coriarius ; a large, flatfish Beetle, with its surface 

 coloured, as is expressed by its specific name, like untanned 

 leather. 



The old naturalists had some very wild notions about the 

 Prionus, as is shown in Mouffet's work, reference to which has 

 already been made. " It hath a little broad head, great oxe-eyes, 

 almost three fingers overthwart in length ; it hath a forked 

 mouth, gaping and terrible, with two very hard, crooked teeth : 

 with these, while he gnaws the wood (I speak by experience), it 

 doth perfectly grunt aloud like a young pig. Maybe this is 

 the reason why Hesychius hath related that they, bound to 

 a tree, will drive away fig-gnats. 



" The shoulders of it are curiously wrought by nature : they 

 seem to be a hilt made of ebony and polished. It hath six feet, 

 distinguished with three little knees ; but they are very weak 

 and faint, and altogether unfit for such a burden. These receive 

 help by two horns that grow above their eyes, and are longer 

 than their whole bodies : they are flexible, with nine or ten 

 joynts ; not exactly round, but are rough like goat's horns, which, 

 although it can move them every way, yet when it flies it holds 

 them only forth directly; and being wearied with flying, she 

 useth them for feet : for knowing that his legs are weak, he 

 twists his horns about the branch of a tree, and so he hangs at 

 ease, as our Bruerus saw in the country about Heidelberg ; in 

 that it resembles the Bird of Paradise, which, wanting feet, 

 clings about the boughs with those pendulous nerves, and so, 

 being tired with labour, takes its ease. 



"They thrust upon us some German fables, as many so say 

 it flies only, and when it is weary it falls to the earth and pre- 

 sently dies. These that are stories and tales, render this reason 

 just. Teramhus, a satvrist, did nut abstain from quipping of 

 the Muses, whereupon they transformed him into a Beetle called 

 Ccrambyx, and that deservedly, to endure a double punishment, 



