5 68 THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



hardest wood. The larval state usually lasts two or three 

 years. The pupa state is passed within the burrow made 

 by the larva ; frequently a chamber is made by partitioning 

 off a section of the burrow with a plug of chips ; but some- 

 times the larva builds a ring of chips around itself just 

 beneath the bark before changing to a pupa. The pupal 

 state is comparatively short, lasting only a few days or weeks. 

 This family comprises three subfamilies, which are sep- 

 arated by Le Conte and Horn as follows : — 



A. Sides of the prothorax with a sharp margin, p. 568. 



PRIONINiE. 



AA. Prothorax not margined. 

 B. Front tibiae not grooved ; palpi never acute at tip. p. 569. 



CERAMBYCINiE. 



BB. Front tibiae obliquely grooved on the inner side; palpi with 

 the last segment cylindrical and pointed, p. 572 Lamiin^e. 



Subfamily PRlONlNiE (Pri-o-ni'nae). 



The Prionids (Pri-o'nids). 



The larger of the Long-horned Beetles constitute this 

 subfamily. They are distinguished from other Cerambycids 

 by having the sides of the prothorax prolonged outwards 

 I into a thin margin, which is more 

 or less toothed. The wing-covers 

 are usually leathery in appearance, 

 and of a brownish or black color. 

 The following are our best-known 

 species : — 



The Broad-necked Prion us, Pri- 

 onus laticollis (Pri-o'nus lat-i-col'- 

 lis). — This is the largest of our 

 common species; but the individ- 

 uals vary from less than one inch 

 FlG - 6 9 J - to two inches in length. It is of a 



pitchy-black color, and of the form shown in Figure 691. 

 The antennae are twelve-jointed in both sexes. The larva 



