400 RHYXCHOPHORA. [_Magdlt*. 



the antennae inserted a little before the middle of the rostrum which is 

 plainly, but not strongly, curved. 



In hedges, &c. ; attached to certain Rosacece ; the larva has been found in the 

 branches of Malus communis ; rare ; Wimbledon ; Lee (Champion) ; Dnrenth, June 

 25, 1854 (Power); Ashford ; Lewisham ; Covvley, July, 1860 (Power); Guestling, 

 near Hastings; Portsdown Hill, near Portsmouth (Moncreaff); Forest of Dean, oil 

 hawthorn blossom ; Bewdley ' v Blatch). 



SCOLYTID^. 



The members of this family are small, usually cylindrical, insects, of a 

 reddish, brownish, or testaceous colour ; in very rare instances, as in the 

 male of Xyleborus dispar, the body behind the thorax is sub-globose ; in 

 form and general appearance they are closely allied to the Bostrychidae 

 and Cissidae, but although they may be considered as presenting affinities 

 towards these families, they are in reality true Rhynchophora, and are 

 closely allied to certain of the Cossoniua ; in fact the genera StenosceUs 

 and Pseudo'stenocelis, belonging to the latter tribe, are practically indis- 

 tinguishable from the Scolytidse, except by dissection ; they come nearest 

 in appearance to Hylastes ; the following may be mentioned as the most 

 important characters of the family : Mandibles stout, curved, more or 

 less toothed on their inner side ; labrum, as a rule, very feebly developed; 

 antennae inserted on the sides of the head, between the eyes and the 

 mandibles, club large, usually solid, rarely with the joints distinct, scape 

 long, funiculus, as a rule, short, with the number of joints very variable 

 (in our genera from 3- to 7-jointed) ; rostrum short and broad, sometimes 

 quite rudimentary; head prominent in some tribes, covered by the thorax 

 in others ; thorax variable, especially in sculpture, but usually large, and 

 very rarely distinctly narrower than the elytra ; elytra nearly always 

 cylindrical ; mesosternum large, metasternum long or very long ; anterior 

 coxae usually contiguous, intermediate and posterior coxee more or less 

 separated ; legs moderate or stout, and compressed, anterior tibiae almost 

 always denticulate or crenulate on their outer margin ; tarsi somewhat 

 variable, last joint long, with the claws simple, tarsal joints not spongy 

 beneath. 



The species are nearly all wood-feeders* and in many cases are among 

 the most formidable enemies to trees; occasionally they cause widespread 

 devastation, especially to pines, elms, &e. ; as a rule they burrow between 

 the wood and the bark, but some species (such as Platypus and Trypo- 

 dendron) bore into the solid wood ; it has been supposed that only 

 decaying trees are attacked, but the truth appears to be that sound trees 

 are first penetrated by the perfect insects and thus become enfeebled and 

 afford a favourable breeding-place for the larvae which complete the 

 destruction. 



* The species belonging to the genus Thamnurgus, Eich., feed in the stems of 

 Euphorbia, Delphinium, Origanum, &c. 



