FAMILY LUCANIDAE 



Beetle. $ Large, elongate, black or greenish black, clothed with a very short greenish 

 pubescence ; the elytra shining, occasionally coppery brown. Vertex of head shield-like, 



the edges raised, central area depressed ; the anterior margin sinuate, 



Description. the outer angles and median part produced forward ; front of head 



slopes downwards, the anterior edge produced into a median bifurcate 



prolongation. Eyes large. Mandibles enormously developed into two long horns having a 

 resemblance to a stag's antlers ; the antennae are long, elbowed, and prominent. Prothorax 

 wider than long, with a median longitudinal depressed line. Elytra convex, apex conjointly 

 rounded. Scutellum large, wide, anterior edge concave, posterior convex. Legs long, tibiae 

 spined. Pubescence on under-surface denser, especially on metathorax. Abdominal segments 

 brownish. Length, 36 mm. to 75 mm. 



2 Smaller than the male, the black mandibles of normal size ; the front of head is 

 coarsely rugose-punctate. 



Larva. Large, stout, fleshy, curved and corrugate, with three pairs of legs on thoracic 

 segments; abdominal segments swollen in a bag-like manner behind. Head large, brown, and 

 shining ; mandibles large, black. Length, 50 mm. to 85 mm. 



In the outer Himalaya the mature beetles are to be found on the wing 

 in June, July, and later in September. The beetles 



Life History. probably issue irregularly 

 throughout the summer, as I 

 have taken fully developed larvae just pupating, 

 as also pupae and mature beetles, in rotten oak- 

 stumps in July. The length of time passed in the 

 larval stage is unknown. It possibly exceeds a year. 

 Before pupating the larva forms a rough kind of 

 semi-cocoon with shreds of wood. The pupal stage 

 is short, a month or six weeks at most ; but the 

 beetle spends some time in the "resting" stage 

 whilst its outer chitinous parts are slowly solidi- 

 fying. At this period the beetle is light brown in 

 colour, this tint slowly darkening as the outer 

 covering hardens. 



The female beetle lays her eggs in crevices of 

 the bark or creeps under projecting flakes and 

 deposits them on the outer surface of the sapwood. 

 The tree selected is invariably a dead one in which tin- wood h;is ;ihv. ids- 

 undergone considerable decay. In no cases have I ever found tin- grubs i.r 

 beetles in sound timber; nor have I been able to hud any corroboration 

 of the statement made by Thompson in his Report on Inlets I), 

 Forests * that these beetles and their grubs destroy oak timber. 

 Insects t I alluded to this matter so long ago as iN<)<), and investigations 

 made since have confirmed me in the view I then expressed, \vhi- h \ 

 held by Mr. W. F. Blandford, formerly Lecturer in Kntomo]o-\ .it Coopers 

 Hill. Mr. Thompson wrote: "The stag beetles arc both numerous and 

 common in individuals, and are, of the whole order of woo.l beetles 

 most destructive to living trees. Some idea may !> forml ,,| tin- ravages 



38. Litianns liaiifcr, 

 Hope. $ 



p. 1 6. 



f ////. Ins. 



