Synodendron has so much the appearance of a Bostrichus 
that at first any one would suppose it belonged to that group; 
but its pentamerous tarsi remove it from them, and its geni- 
culated antennae show that it is allied to the Lucanidae. With- 
out a careful examination of the tarsi we may often be misled 
where the ceconomy of families of different tribes is the same; 
and this is one of the errors most difficult to be avoided by 
those who search for a natural arrangement. As both Syno- 
dendron and the Bostrichidae live in timber, a cylindrical form 
is the most convenient for their habits; and the truncated 
thorax of the one, and the sloped-off elytra of the other, may 
serve the same purpose, and probably, by fitting the orifice of 
the holes they make in the trees, they conceal their burrows 
and effectually prevent any intruder from entering into their 
habitations. The legs are compact and the tibiae armed with 
spines, to enable them to force their way in a tree; and the 
dilated and toothed fore legs of the Synodendron are well 
adapted for throwing behind it the dust and chips which it 
disengages in its labours. 
The larvae also feed in timber, and are destructive to the 
Ash, Maple, Apple, Pear and Cherry tree. 
S. cylindricum Linn. Faun . Suec. 133. 380. — Curt. Brit. But. 
478 -< 3 \ . 
Black shining; head punctured, excepting the crown, hairs 
on the horn ferruginous ; club of antennae castaneous : front 
of thorax dull and punctured, excepting a small space towards 
the top, the rest of the thorax strongly and irregularly punc- 
tured, the disc being quite smooth : elytra with 9 or 1 0 striae 
on each, the spaces between rugose with irregular and con- 
fluent punctures; tarsi subcastaneous, underside pubescent. 
Obs. The horn on the head of the male is sometimes very 
small, and some females are more strongly punctured on the 
head and thorax than the males. 
This species is confined, I believe, to the North of Europe, 
and no other one of the genus is known. I have met with it 
in abundance on old trees in Norfolk, and near Bexley and 
Darent in June : it has been found at Cheltenham and Ply- 
mouth, also in the half-rotten timber of an old Ash tree near 
Swansea by Mr. Dillwyn. Mr. Dale has found it in old rot- 
ten Apple trees at Glanville’s Wootton, and he received a very 
small specimen from Captain Blomer when at Clifton, near 
Bristol. Mr. Wailes has found it at Newcastle, and the Rev. 
G. T. Rudd near Kimpton. 
The Plant is Cotyledon Umbilicus (Common Navelwort). 
