246 
NATURAL HISTORY OR 
ten exceed the length both of the head and thorax ; 
they are strong, and bent towards each other, especi- 
ally at the tip; their internal edge is deeply serrated, 
and one of the teeth near the middle is considerably 
longer than therest : they have likewise a strong tooth 
or salient angle on the outer edge towards the ante- 
rior extremity. The elytra are dark brown, varie- 
gated with numerous longitudinal stripes of reddish 
yellow, which are often interrupted, and united with 
each other. The under parts of the body, and the 
legs, are of a ferruginous colour ; and the latter are 
without spines. This species varies much in size, 
some of the specimens w hich we have seen measur- 
ing upwards of five inches, while others do not ex- 
ceed two and three quarters. It is an inhabitant 
of Brazil and Cayenne, where it is universally know f n 
by the name of Mouche scieur de long . This ap- 
pellation refers to a very peculiar habit which the 
insect is recorded to practise. It is said to seize a 
branch of a tree or shrub between its long and 
powerful mandibles, and to fly round the enclosed 
twig till it has succeeded in sawing it off. (i Al- 
though I have not myself been a witness of this oc- . 
currence,” says M. Lacordaire, “ I am inclined to 
believe it, both because I have been assured of its 
truth by individuals worthy of credit, and because 
I have seen on several occasions branches cut in 
the manner alluded to, and bearing the evident 
marks of mandibles which must have belonged to 
an insect of the size of this species.” A like prac- 
