THE STAG -3 E$TL 3 j 
363 
' Sthe Stag-beetle *. 
I his beetle is readily diltinguiflied by its fuperior mag- 
nitude, which entitles it to the firft rank among the in- 
fect tribes : It is however charafterifed by another pecu- 
liarity no lefs Angular,, and that is the large moveable 
maxilla;, refembling in form the horns of a flag. Thefe 
instruments are broad and flat, projedling from the head 
nearly one third of the animal’s length. They have in 
the middle, towards the inner part, a fmall branch, and 
at their extremity are forked. Their fimilarity in lhape 
to the horns of the animal above mentioned, lias ftruck 
every natural!!!, aud has, with equal propriety, procured 
for the infect the appellation of the flying Jlag f . 
An iafedt of fuch an uncommon fiz.e as the flag-beetle, 
and of fuel) lingular conformation, has attracted the no- 
tice of all the entymologifts. The female is diftinguilh- 
by the fize of her horns, which are not above half the 
fize of thofe of the male ; both, however, are armed in 
the anterior fide with fmall teeth, throughout the whole 
of their length ; and both are fometimes as red as coral, 
which gives thefe animals a very beautiful appearance. 
The head that fupports thefe romantic horns, is broad, 
fnort, and irregular 3 and the thorax, which intervenes 
between 
* Lucanus Cervus, Lin. Syft. 
-)■ Cervus volatis. Vide Moufiet, p. 148. Aldrovand. infeiSt. p. 151. 
~npcrati, p. 1691, and Charleton, j>. 46. 
