LONGHORNS AND PREY-HUNTERS 49 



basket-maker, was pronounced to be 'of French make, 

 from Dutch willows.'" They had, therefore, evidently 

 established themselves in the basket while in their 

 native country, and subsequently accompanied it across 

 the Channel, when it was used for the transport of 

 vegetables. 



The larva of a much larger beetle, called Hylotrupes 

 lajulus (Fig. 19), has sometimes done considerable 

 damage to the rafters of houses, 

 not only perforating the wood, 

 but even gnawing its way 

 through sheets of lead with 

 which the rafters were covered. 

 Kirby states that Sir Joseph 

 Banks once gave him a specimen 

 of sheet-lead, which, though only 

 measuring eight inches by four, 

 was pierced with twelve oval _ 



!l<J. 19. Hylotrupes bajulus. 



holes, some of which were as much 



as one-fourth inch in longest diameter. The generic 

 name Hylotrupes, which is Greek for " borer of timber," 

 at once stigmatises the insect as destructive in this way. 

 The beetle is a blackish insect, covered with greyish 

 down ; and the name bajulus, which is Latin for a 

 "labourer," is apparently given in allusion to the dusty 

 appearance caused by this down. 



The antennae are of no more than ordinary length, 

 so that at first sight it would perhaps hardly be taken 

 for a Longicorn at all. The thorax is very globose, and 

 carries two polished knobs on its upper surface. The 

 thighs, like those of Gracilia, are clubbed, only more 

 conspicuously so. 



The larvae of these beetles are fat, white, fleshy grubs, 

 with small, but very powerful, black jaws the tools by 



P 



