ENTOMOLOGICAL CABINET. 



PTINUS LMPERIALIS. Linne. 



Brown ; the thorax with an elevated ridge down 

 the centre, and with the head covered with long 

 and dense grey hair : the eyes are large and very 

 prominent : the scutellum is white : the elytra are 

 covered with long hair, and from the shoulder is a 

 streak of grey hair that makes a curve and, running 

 along the suture of the elytra about a third of the 

 way, terminates in a large white spot — the apex is of 

 the same colour : the legs and antennae are of a 

 light brown. This insect is not common : we have 

 met with but two specimens, which were beaten 

 from a white-thorn hedge some years since. The 

 caterpillars inhabit hedge-stakes and feed on the 

 wood, perforating them in every direction and greatly 

 accelerating their decay. Linne gave the name of 

 Imperialis to this species of Ptinus, from the mark- 

 ings on the elytra resembling the eagle of the imperial 

 standard. 



Mr. Kirby has alluded to this species in his intro- 

 duction to Entomology, and says, " In variegation 

 insects certainly exceed every other class of animated 

 beings. Nature, in her sportive mood, when paint- 

 ing them, sometimes imitates the clouds of heaven ; 

 at others, the meandering course of the rivers, of 

 the earth, or the undulations of their waters : many 

 veined like beautiful marbles ; others have the sem- 

 blance of a robe of the finest net-work thrown over 

 6-2 



