XYLOPHAOA — TIROTERID^.. 21 



XYLOPHAGA. 



This series contains only one family of rather small extent, having 

 the abdomen attached to the thorax iis in the Phyllojjhaga, and dif- 

 fering from that series by the anterior tibiaj having but one apical 

 spur, and the borer-like ovipositor fitted for boring into solid wood. 



In the larva state these insects live in the interior of trees, boring 

 large holes and often causing great destruction, esjiecially to pine 

 timber. 



Family UROCERIDiE. 

 Table of Genera. 



Abdomen more or less compressed, generally long and sometimes subclavate ; 

 the ovijiositor not or but slightly exserted ; anterior wing with two 

 marginal and four submarginal cells. 



Antenna? thickened toward apex, subclavate Cephus Latr. 



Antennse filiform, not thickened toward apex Janus Steph. 



Abdomen cylindrical or depressed. 

 Ovipositor not or but slightly exserted, apex of the abdomen smooth and 

 rounded ; anterior wing with one marginal aiid two submarginal cells, 

 the nervures not distinctly defined; antennse irregular; vertex tu- 



berculate Oryssus Latr. 



Ovipositor considerably e.:serted. 

 Neck elongate ; anterior wing with two coni]>lete marginal and four complete 

 submarginal cells, the first and second submarginal cells each receiving 



a recurrent nervure Xiphydria liatr. 



Neck not elongate ; anterior angles of prothorax strongly produced ; apex of 



9 abdomen depres.sed and terminating in a point or horn-like process. 



Two marginal cells, the second very long and indistinctly defined at. tip ; 



three submarginal cells, the first very small, the second and third each 



receiving a recurrent nervure Urocerus-"^ Geoff. 



One complete marginal, and two complete submarginal cells, the first small 

 and narrow, the second very long, extending beyond the marginal and 

 receiving both recurrent nervures Treniex Jur. 



■■ European writ'^rs, with few ecptions, appear to have a<iopted Sirex Linn. 

 ill preference to Urocenis, which was well described by Greoffroy four years ante- 

 rior to the publication of the twelfth edition of the "Systema Naturse," in which 

 Linnaeus first described Sirex, although the name had been suggested by him as 

 early as 1761. Westwood, in his "Introduction," etc., gave, apparently, valid 

 reasons for the adoption of Vrocerus in preference to Sirex, but in later years has 

 described a number of species under the Linnaean name. Our .si^cics, however, 

 an so well known under the family name Uroceridae, and the generic name 

 I'loc.erus, that we prefer to avoid confusion and make no change for the present. 



