120 



INSECTS AT HOME. 



account of its mcnacinp^ aspect, wliicli was fancifully cmnpared to 

 the giant Typlia^us, who fiij^htcnfd Zeus and the other gods 

 out of heaven merely by his looks. As, however, was the case 

 wnth its ancient prototype, the Typhcuus is not nearly so 

 terrible as it seems, and its array of horns cannot do the least 

 injury to the hands of its capturer. At Fig. h, on the same 

 woodcut, the head of the female Tyiohoeus is show^n. 



1. Typhnens fiimntiis, 2. Corcyon annle. 3. Dorcns pnrnlleloiiipedtis. 4. Agriliis hi- 

 giittatus. ,1. JOIiitur sanguineus. a. AgriUis, auteniui. 0. Xypha'us, head of female. 

 e. Elater, antuuuu. d. Elater, head, under side. «•. Elater, larva. /. Agrilus, larva. 



There is no possibility of mistaking this insect, which is 

 the only British example of its genus; which, in addition to 

 the characteristics that have been already described, has the 

 first and last joints of the tarsus of equal length, and longer 

 tlian the others. The colour of the insect is shining-black, the 

 elytra being regularly but not very deeply striated. There is, 

 however, considerable variation in tliis in.'^ect, as even in some 



