HABLEQUISr BEETLE — EOSE-CUTTER BEE. 195 



within a curiously-woven cell. This beetle belongs to the genus 

 Ehagium. As long as the insect remains in its larval condition, 

 it differs in little from the wood-boring larva. When, however, 

 it is about to change into the pupal state, it makes a beautifully- 

 worked cocoon in which it spends the time which intervenes be- 

 tween the change into the pupa and that into the perfect insect. 

 The cocoon is madev of woody fibres, which the larva bites and 

 tears away, and the hollow in which the cocoon rests is usually in 

 the bark. The fibres are rather long and narrow, as may be seen 

 by reference to the illustration, which represents the cocoon and 

 insect of the natural size. As the woody fibres are of a pale-straw 

 color, the cocoon presents an agreeable contrast to the sombre hues 

 of the bark in which it is bedded. When the insect has attained 

 its perfect form, its first care is to escape from the dwelling which 

 has served it so well through its long period of helplessness ; and 

 by means of the sharp and powerful jaws with which it is fur- 

 nished, it gnaws a hole through the side of the cocoon and so es- 

 capes into the open air. In the illustration, the beetle is repre- 

 sented in the act of making its way through the cocoon. 



The magnificent insect which is known to entomologists as the 

 Harlequin Beetle {Acrocinus hngimanus) also belongs to the 

 wood-burrowers, and in the British Museum may be seen a piece 

 of a tree in which the beetle is still lying, its enormously long 

 limbs packed up into a very small compass. Exotic wood-bur- 

 rowing beetles are very plentiful, and there is no doubt that sev- 

 eral rare or doubtful British species have been introduced as grubs 

 within foreign timber, and that they have made their way out after 

 importation. The Docks are celebrated for the arrival of such 

 distinguished strangers, and a fine collection of 'exotic beetles has 

 been made by searching the cargoes of timber, after they have 

 been discharged from the ships in which they were brought over 

 the sea. 



We now come to the wood-boring bees, the name of which is 

 legion, and a few examples of which will be now described and 

 figured. 



Immediately below the cocoon of the Ehagium may be seen a 

 tunneled branch, containing two curiously-formed cells. These 

 cells are made of rose-leaves, and are the work of the Eose-odt- 

 TER Bee (Megachih Willoughhielld), or Willow Bee, as it is often 



