eERAMBYX. 45 



for the beauty and variety of their colours. 

 Their body is elongated, and the antennas differ 

 in length in the same species, the males having 

 generally the longest. When taken they try to 

 defend themselves, and make a sharp noise by 

 rubbing the thorax briskly against the scutel- 

 lum. Cerambyces are generally found in woods, 

 and on the trunks of trees ; rarely on flowers. 



The female has a slit at the end of the body, 

 through which she can exert a long black cy- 

 lindrical trunk, which in general is concealed • 

 but which, upon pressing the abdomen, may 

 be forced out. This trunk, which appears to 

 be composed of two pieces sliding within each 

 other, is terminated by two long and very de- 

 licate cartilaginous filaments. It is by this 

 channel that the insect deposits her eggs, after 

 having made a hole in the wood for that pur- 

 pose. 



The larvae have a soft, long body, with thir- 

 teen rings, and a hard scaly head. They change 

 their skin several times ; and at the end of two 

 or three years change into a chrysalis, from 

 which proceeds the perfect insect. 



