40 



tend to diminish the excess of luxuriant vegetation. 

 As pioneers, they perforate in all directions the 

 monarchs of the forest ; the rains during the Mon- 

 soon lodge in their excavations and tunnels, and 

 soon produce decay in the heart of the tree. The 

 white ants and other insects follow in their track, 

 and soon reduce them to an almost impalpable 

 powder ; and really without these most useful insects 

 abounded, vegetation in a rich and generous soil 

 would soon overspread the land, and nothing but 

 an interminable forest would every where predomi- 

 nate. To the longicorn beetles then, we are greatly 

 indebted for keeping in check an exuberant vege- 

 tation. It is time however, to allude more parti- 

 cularly to the species mentioned by Linneus. 



Linnean Species. 



Sp. 1. Longimanus. — The locality mentioned by 

 De Geer, is India, and by Linneus, America; it 

 evidently belongs to the New World, and occurs 

 abundantly in Cayenne. 



Sp. 7. Coriarius. — Now a Prionus of Geoffroy ; 

 according to Amoreux, the larvse of this species were 

 antiently eaten by the Romans under the name of 

 Cossus. 



Sp. 13. Atratus. — Probably a true Prionus. — 

 Vide — Gronovius, tab. 14, fig. 9. 



Sp. 17. Planatus — Now an Uleiota of Latreille, 

 who has changed the specific name to Flavipes. 



Sp. 19. Ammiralis. — Probably an Hamaticherus ; 

 it is doubtful if Linneus ever saw this insect, it was 



