COLEOPTERA. 
*53 
strongly transverse, and their sockets widely open behind, the sides of the prothorax 
are sharply edged, the palpi are never pointed at the end, and the front tibiae are 
without a groove underneath. This subfamily is the least numerous in species, 
though many of these are distinguished for their great size. Titanus gigcinteus, a 
Brazilian species, sometimes measures over half a foot long, and is the largest of all 
known beetles, while the sawyer-beetle ( Macrodontia cervicornis ) and other species 
occurring in Tropical America, are not much smaller. Most of the Prionince are 
found in the warmer parts of the world. They are represented in Europe by 
Pvionus coriarius, Ergates faber, and a few other forms. P. coriarius is the only 
species which occurs in England, and is not very common, being met with chiefly 
in oak-woods, where the larvae live in the rotten trunks of trees. The Ceram- 
Prionus coriarius, female ; and Ergates faber, male (nat. size). 
bycince are widely distributed and include a very large number of species. They 
are as a rule narrower than the Prionince, and without sharp lateral edges to the 
prothorax, while the sockets of their front-legs are seldom strongly transverse and 
are often rounded and completely closed behind. Most of the species have a 
stridulating area on the mesonotum, and by this means are enabled to produce 
sounds. This subfamily includes a number of very remarkable mimetic forms, 
some with broadly expanded elytra, and black and tawny colours resembling 
Lycidce, others with the elytra greatly reduced in size, and the shape of the body 
modified in imitation of various Hymenoptera. The metallic-coloured beetles of 
the group Callichromides, most of which are found in tropical countries, exhale a 
scent resembling otto of roses. In England this group is represented by the musk- 
beetle (Aromia moschata), figured on p. 154, a handsome insect of a golden-green 
or bronzy colour, which is met with on willow-trees. Amongst the European species of 
Cerambycince, the groups Lepturides, Motor chides, and Cly tides are best represented. 
Some of the Lepturides, such as Strangalia and Toxotus are flower-frequenting 
