CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CAPRICORNES. 275 



the back and belly, give the animal a facility of moving 

 in whatever way it may be placed." Our author cites 

 Curculio or Cerambyx as examples. It may be observed, 

 however, that these larvae are not completely apodal, 

 since they have the rudiments of six scaly minute legs 

 with joints, yet so small as to be useless for locomotion. 

 We thus find that considerations, drawn from the larva 

 state of an insect, are often of the highest importance, 

 and that in certain cases they may be employed with great 

 advantage, without elevating them too high in the scale 

 of primary and absolute distinctions. Under the impres- 

 sion, therefore, that this tribe contains within itself all 

 such lignivorous insects as have apod larvae, we have 

 no hesitation in adopting the above views, more espe- 

 cially as they will be subsequently developed more in 

 detail. 



(247.) The above definition of the perfect insects of this 

 order is entirely drawn from the two typical families, the 

 Cerambycidce and the Lepturidtf, with which, however, the 

 group connecting it to the Lamellicornes (the Prionidce) 

 is intimately allied. Of the two others, one (the Curcu- 

 lionidcB) is remarkably unlike either of the preceding, 

 and the other is involved in some doubt. Without at- 

 tempting, therefore, to find any more general characters 

 for the Capricornes than those already glanced at, we 

 may at once proceed to characterise with much brevity 

 the primary groups or families into which we divide the 

 tribe. 1. The Prionidce, at once distinguished by their 

 depressed form, their protruding or exserted jaws, di- 

 rected forwards, and the comparative softness of their 

 wing cases. 2. The Cerambycidce, having their head 

 large and vertical, the jaws short and sharp, the tarsi 

 prehensile, and the thorax nearly as broad as the body : 

 these, like the last, feed both in their larva and perfect 

 state, upon solid or decayed wood, and are strictly lig- 

 nivorous. 3. The Lepturidce, or floral capricorns, of a 

 much more delicate and slender form, having the jaws 

 or mandibles more lengthened and straight, the tip 

 T 2 



