THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



101 



insects may be seen on the wing on hot, sunny days, towering above the 

 giant oaks, I should think about 100 feet high, perhaps higher than the 

 beautiful Purple Emperor butterfly soars. Generally it is necessary to affix 

 a net on the end of a long bamboo, and patiently wait until they descend 

 to lower regions, to capture this insect. The pointed abdomen of this insect 

 is a very suitable instrument for depositing its ova into cracks or crevices. 

 This insect is very common in oak forests in the North of Europe. It is 

 occasionally so abundant in the dockyards of Erance and Sweden, as to cause 

 much damage. Linnseus, at the suggestion of the King of Sweden, having 

 investigated and ascertained the real cause of the damage, suggested that the 

 timber should be sunk under water at the time the perfect insect made its 

 appearance, whereby it was secured against its attacks. 



HyleccetUS dermestoides is a species of Lymexylonidse. This species 

 was discovered in Sherwood Eorest, by Mr. T. Desvignes, flying round one of 

 the old birch trees, on which they alighted, and then ran quickly up and 

 down the bark. This species is found in the larval state in birch trees, which 

 it perforates similar to the preceding species. It also occurs at Rannoch. 



Hedobia imperialis is one of the Anobiidse. The larvse feed in the 

 wood of old whitethorn hedges, where the perfect insect may be obtained. 



DryophilllS anobioides is found under the bark of broom, in 

 spring, in the South of England. 



Priobium castaneum much resembles the Death Watch, it is one of 

 that group. The larva feeds in whitethorn in old hedges, near Manchester 

 and Llangollen. 



Anobium fulvicorne is also one of the Death Watch genus The 

 larva feeds in Ash at Llangollen. 



Ptilinus pectinicornis. The larva feeds in oak and willow at Dunham. 



Ochina hederae. The larva feeds beneath the bark of the ivy, where it 

 makes numerous galleries. Although it is scarcely possible for it to destroy 

 the ivy, it certainly puts a check on the growth of old ivy, by cutting off the 

 supply of sap. In Dunham Park there is an ivy infested with this species, 

 which clings very tenaciously to life, although the old cedar on which it 

 grows is dead and decayed long ago. 



Bostrichus capucinus. The larva of this species feeds in decayed 

 wood. I have often listened to the interesting accounts of the capture of 

 this species in Broughton, by Mr. Thomas Hewitt, who was a well-known 

 Salford Coleopterist. It. is about 50 years since its occurrence in that 

 locality, in a log of wood. It is also recorded as occurring in Norfolk, Derby- 



