C E E A M B Y CI D M. 
373 
Stromatium barbatum, Fabr. ( Hesperophani ), is perhaps the most 
abundant Cerambycid beetle in the plains, and is known to breed in 
Khair (Acacia catechu ). teak, sissu and other 
dry timber ; it is a dull brown insect, whose 
most interesting feature is the patches of 
silky hair on each side of the prothorax of 
the males; these are so placed and set that 
they catch the light in a very marked way, 
reflecting it towards the front, so that 
looked at from in front the insect appears 
to have two large shining eyes ; this may 
be mere fancy or may serve a useful pur¬ 
pose in courtship or defence. This beetle is 
known to emerge yearly in early June. 
The Cerambycines contain a large number 
of forms common or injurious. Plocederus 
obesus , Gab., is the insect recorded as des¬ 
troying sal (I. M. N. I, p. 91); its cocoons, 
which are large, hard and formed apparently 
wholly of calcium carbonate, are striking 
objects. Molesthes holosericea, Fabr., is 
recorded (I. M. N. I. p. 89) as breeding in 
Fig. 251.— Sal wood attacked 
by hypoeschrus iNDicus, sal wood (Shofea fohusta). It is an extremely 
handsome beetle of rather over an inch 
length, covered with fine pubescence that 
gives beautiful silky reflections. It is one 
of the common plains species. Diorthus 
simplex, Wh., is another common and wide¬ 
spread species, of a dull brown colour, 
resembling the preceding generally but with 
a distinct scar at the apex of the basal 
antennal joint bounded by a little ridge. 
Derolus demissus , Paso., is a smaller brown 
species without the antennal scar and with 
a fine ridge along the ventral face of each 
° & Fig. 252. — A EOLESTHES 
femur. holos erice a . 
