1816 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETL'M. PART III. 



number, as inhabitants of the oak, must be added the vast quantities of 

 /chneumonidre, and other parasites, which feed upon the phytophagous species 

 themselves. Perhaps the estimate here given may be found to be too great, 

 although every one accustomed to collecting knows that the oak furnishes by 

 far the greatest portion of his captures. Perhaps, if we give 2000 as the num- 

 ber of oak-feeders and their parasites, we shall scarcely run the risk of over- 

 rating the quantity. Lesser long ago said, "Le chene suffit a en elever 

 plusieurs centaines d'especes differentes." (Theologie des Insectes, torn. i. 

 p. 199.) 



The solid Wood of the oak serves for the food of various insects, chiefly 

 whilst in the larva state. Amongst these, the goat moth (Cossus Ligni- 

 perda, p. 1386. fig. 1233.), the wood leopard moth (Zeuzera ae'soili, p. 887. 

 and fig. 636.), the small stag beetle (Z)6rcus parallelopipedus, p. 88G. 

 fig. 635. ; Gyll. Ins. Suec. y i. p. 67.), and the Sinodendron cylindricum 

 (p. 1225. fig. 1048.), are occasional inhabitants of the oak. Several other 

 species of lamellicorn and longicorn beetles are also inhabitants of this tree : 

 of these, the great stag beetle (Lucanus 6'ervus, fig. 1645.) is the most abun- 

 dant, as well as the largest. The larva of this insect (a) feeds upon the putrid 

 wood of the oak. (Gyllenhal Ins. Suec., i. p. 65.) It is a large, whitish, fleshy, 

 grub, like that of the cockchafer (Melolontha vulgaris) ; and it is furnished 

 with three pairs of legs, attached to the three anterior segments. In general, it 

 lies on one side, with the body curled up, so that the tail nearly touches the 

 head. The structure of the jaws of this larva is very similar to that of the 

 caterpillar of the Cossus ; although, in the perfect state, it is impossible to 

 discover two insects more completely unlike each other. When it has attained 

 its full size, it constructs a cocoon of chips of wood, agglutinated together, 

 within which it assumes the pupa state, in which the immense mandibles of 

 the imago are distinctly visible (6"). The female pupa is, of course, destitute of 

 these large jaws, these organs being but of comparatively small size in that 

 sex when arrived at the perfect state (c). The beetle seems to subsist entirely 

 upon fluids, which it laps up by means of its long pencil-like lower jaws 

 and lip. 



Trichius variabilis is another lamellicorn beetle, the larva of which feeds upon 

 the wood of the oak. It is occasionally found in Windsor Forest, but is of great 

 rarity in this country. Its larva is very similar to that of the cockchafer. 

 A beautiful figure of the perfect insect, which is also found upon, and within, 

 the stumps of rotten oaks, is given by Curtis. (Brit. Ent. y pi. 286.) 



The larvae of the longicorn beetles, on account of their generally large size, 

 are destructive to trees ; but they are comparatively of rare occurrence in this 

 country, if we except the musk beetle, found in willows. In tropical climates, 

 where the perfect insects attain a gigantic size, they must be as injurious as 

 the Cossus larva. These large wood-feeding larvae, or some of them, at least 

 (and it is not clearly proved which), were considered by the Romans as great 

 dainties, and are still greedily devoured by the negroes in many tropical 

 climates. We will not quarrel with the tastes of these Acrid6phagi and 

 Campophagi, because there can be no reason why a larva, which feeds upon 

 wood, should not be as nutritious as an oyster or a shrimp ; but we will 

 quote a short passage relative to the subject, from the observations of the 

 celebrated African traveller, Smeathman : "The larvae of all the beetles that 

 feed on decayed wood seem to be rich and delicate eating ; so that every forest 

 in the torrid zone affords a man plenty of very wholesome and hearty nourish- 

 ment, who has an instrument strong enough to cut in pieces the decayed 

 trees. This knowledge might have saved the lives, perhaps, of many seamen 

 who have been shipwrecked on desert equinoctial snores, which are generally 

 covered with thick woods. The very best kind of vegetable food is but poor 

 nourishment for the labouring Europeans, if not accompanied with animal 

 flesh, or, at least, with animal or vegetable oils ; and such food as seamen in 

 distress meet with, as above mentioned, have oftentimes very acrimonious 

 qualities, and are dangerous, even in small quantities, to those who eat them 



