File:The natural history of beetles - illustrated by thirty-two plates, numerous wood-cuts, with memoir and portrait of Ray (1852) (14761333871).jpg

Identifier: naturalhistoryof01dunc (find matches)
Title: The natural history of beetles : illustrated by thirty-two plates, numerous wood-cuts, with memoir and portrait of Ray
Year: 1852 (1850s)
Authors: Duncan, James, 1804-1861 Jardine, William, Sir, 1800-1874 Lizars, W. H. (William Home), 1788-1859, engraver
Subjects: Ray, John, 1627-1705 Beetles
Publisher: Edinburgh : W.H. Lizars London : Henry G. Bohn
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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bottom of trees,rarely under the bark, and never on the leaves.Its motions are so sluggish, that it may be said todrag itself along rather than walk. It occasionallytakes wing on the approach of evening, but itsflight is slow and unsteady, scarcely appearing un-der the guidance of the animal, as it strikes againstany object that happens to be in the way, and fallsto the ground. A rustling sound accompanies itsflight, and it often betrays its retreat by a ratherloud noise, which is produced by the friction of thethorax. It varies greatly in size and colour. Spe-cimens from the interior of the country are usuallyof a much paler tint than such as are obtained inthe neighbourhood of Rio Janeiro, and other placestowards the coast.* The genus Lamia, from which the present tribederives its name, is constituted by a variety of finely-coloured species, some of which are of considerablesize. They are extensively diffused over the earth, * Anal, des Sciences Naturelles, torn. xxi. 180. PLATE 26.
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wruaornate 2 Lamia formosa 3,Desrnocerus cytmeus ZLa/nia COLEOPTEEOrs INSECTS. 253 and a considerable number occur in Europe. Onlytwo kinds appear to inhabit Britain. LAMIA SUBOCELLATA. PLATE XXV. Fig. 2. Cerambyx subocellatus, Olivier, iv. No. 67, p. 69, pi. 2,fig. 12, o, b. The colour of the body is brownish black, and itis covered with dense silky pubescence. A broadstripe of yellowish white runs along the middle ofthe head, and is continued down the centre of thethorax; the latter is armed with an acute spine oneach side. The elytra are marked with numerousrounded spots of yellowish white, which are vari-able in size. We received the specimen figuredfrom Brazil. LAMIA ORNATA. PLATE XXVI. Fig. 1. Cerambyx ornatus, Olivier, iv. No. 67, pi. 4, fig. 24, a, b. The head of this pretty insect is golden yellow,glossed with green about the eyes, and having twoblack lines anteriorly. The thorax is of the samecolour as the head, and has two narrow cross bandsof black: the hinder margin green

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