1838. HOUSE—No. 72. 89 
bycidw, or capricorn beetles. The larye, in common language 
called borers, are eminently wood-eaters, and exceedingly injurious 
to vegetation. These insects, which are very numerous, are distin- 
guished by their long and tapering antenne inserted into a notch of 
the eyes, which are kidney-shaped ; the body is elongated ;_ the 
thorax cylindrical or quadrate ; the feet are formed for standing se- 
curely ; the first three joints dilated, and covered with spongy cush- 
ions beneath, the third being also divided into two lobes, between which 
issues the fourth joint, which is terminated by two strong, curved 
and simple claws. They fly well, and usually by night. During 
the day they remain in concealment. When annoyed or taken into 
. the hands, they make a querulous noise. By nodding its head, the 
insect causes the base of the thorax to rub against the base of the 
abdomen, and these parts being corneous emit a squeaking sound, 
whence one of these insects is, in Germany, called the fiddler. The 
antenne of the females are usually shorter than those of the males ; 
many of the former also have a tubular, jointed, retractile apparatus 
at the posterior extremity, which is capable of being drawn out like 
the joints of a telescope, and which serves to conduct the eggs into 
the place where they are to be deposited. ‘The larve constitute the 
principal nourishment of wood-peckers. . 
In Prionus the body is flattened, and the thorax is broad, square, 
and toothed at the sides. ‘The female lays her eggs in crevices of old 
trees. The eggs are oblong and many in number. The larve have 
the body divided into twelve segments, and are white, except the 
head, which is horny and yellowish ; the diameter of this part also 
is somewhat greater than that of the body. They have three pair of 
minute feet near the head ; but the motions are principally effected 
by the contractions and dilatations of the body, aided by the little 
projections or tubercles which cover the seven terminal segments. 
The metamorphoses of the insects of this genus, as well as of all 
the other Cerambycide, occur in the places where the larve reside. 
Prionus brevicornis is found in the perfect state during the month 
of July. Its larva feeds upon the trunks of the Lombardy poplar, 
the balsam poplar, or balm of Gilead, and probably upon other spe- 
cies of poplar. 
Prionus cylindricus inhabits the pine. The perfect insect fre- 
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