192 INSECTS AT HOME. 



handsomest, of our Long-horned Beetles. It is called Prionua 

 coriarius, and is represented of the natural size on Woodcut 

 XX. Fig. 3. It is the only British representation of its 

 family, the Prionidye, though there are many exotic species 

 belonging to it. In this family tlie labrum is so small that it 

 is scarcely visible, while the mandibles are large and strong. 

 The antenna? are moderately serrated, and inserted just above 

 the base of the mandibles, and the head is not narrowed behind 

 into a neck. The thorax is rather squared and furnished with" 

 spines at the sides, and the elytra are lengthened, with blunt 

 spines at the tips. 



The colour of this Beetle is blackish-brown above and chest- 

 nut-brown belv-w, the colour being, however, rather variable in 

 different individuals. Like the Stag Beetle it is exceedingly 

 variable in size, some specimens being twice as large as others, 

 the difference in size being probably owing to the quality and 

 quantity of the food. The larva is white, fiattish, broad at the 

 part which will afterwards become the thorax, but narrowing 

 towards the tail. The rings, or segments, are deeply marked, 

 and the legs are very small, the grub being able to force 

 itself through its burrow by the alternate extension and con- 

 traction of its body. In this task it is aided by certain fleshy 

 projections attaclied to the segments which constitute the 

 abdomen. One of these larvae is shown on Woodcut XX, 

 Fig. a. 



When it is nearly full-fed, it makes its way towards the bark 

 of the tree on wliich it feeds, and then forms from the wood- 

 chips a cocoon, in which it awaits its change into the pupal form. 

 In this stage of development, the long and boldly notched an- 

 tennse are laid along the -sides of the body, over the elytra. 



This is not a common Beetle, being necessarily restricted to 

 wooded districts. It is, however, much more plentiful than is 

 generally supposed, owing to its pec\iliar habits, which with- 

 draw it from the notice of all but skilful entomologists, who 

 not only know where to look for it, but how to recogiiise it 

 when they see it. For the Prionus is a lazy, sluggish sort of 

 insect, which seldom betrays itself to the unpractised eye. It 

 is essentially a being of darkness, and, contrary to the habits 

 of many Beetles, carries into its adult life the darkling ways 

 of its early stages of existence. During the day it remains 



