Burmeister lays it down as a rule, that with regard to the differences of the sexes, their whole character may be thus distinguished; viz. that the male displays a preponderance of evolution, and the female a preponderance of involution; and observes, "that some beetles have processes upon the head and thorax, which, like the mandibles, can meet, like tongs, and thus serve as a weapon. This is asserted of Hercules and its large comrades." This opinion as to the uses of these horns can, however, scarcely be maintained, since the number of species in which the horns really meet is very few. Kirby and Spence observe, "What may be the use of these extraordinary appendages to the males, has not yet been ascertained. Whether the individuals of this sex are more exposed to the attack of birds and other enemies, in consequence of being more on the wing than the females, and are therefore thus provided with numerous projecting points of defence, is a question worth considering." It is also to be observed that these appendages, instead of being deciduous, as in many of the higher animals, are in insects component parts of the external skeleton. There are a few exceptions to the observation of Drury; thus in the Lamellicorn genus Hoplites Dej. Catal. (Scarabæus Pan,) the females are cornuted as well as the males; and in the genus Osmia, belonging to the section of wild bees, Dasygastres, Latr., the females alone have the head furnished with two porrected horns. {61}BUPRESTIS (CHALCOPHORA) VIRGINIENSIS. Plate XXX. fig. 3. ORDER: Coleoptera. SECTION: Serricornes. FAMILY: Buprestidæ. GENUS. BUPRESTIS, _Linn._ SUBGENUS. Chalcophora, _Solier_. BUPRESTIS (CHALCOPHORA) VIRGINIENSIS. Thorace lato fusco, punctis cupreis; elytris serratis atris, maculis cupreis, saturâque metallicâ. (Long. Corp. 1 unc. 1½ lin.) SYN. Buprestis Virginiensis, _Drury, App. vol._ 2. _Herbst. Col._ ix. _p._ 114. 63. _t._ 148. _f._ 1. Buprestis Virginica, _Linn. (Gmel.)_ 1. iv. _p._ 1940. _No._ 110. _Rossi (Hellw.) Fn. Etr._ 1. _p._ 211. _not._ HABITAT: Virginia. Head small and broad. Antennæ about the length of the thorax, and small. Thorax broad and rugged, having the elevated parts of a dark coppery colour; but the depressed ones lighter, covered with very small punctures, and joining close to the wing-cases. Scutellum very small and triangular. Elytra of the same colour with the thorax; the dark parts in the figure being those that lie highest. They are margined on the sides and suture, extending even with the anus; which near their edges are slightly serrated. Under side shining and coppery, but on the sides with a tincture of flesh colour. Legs the same; with two tibial spurs. PLATE XXXI. [Illustration] GOLIATHUS GIGANTEUS. Plate XXXI. fig. 1. ORDER: Coleoptera. SECTION: Lamellicornes. FAMILY: Cetoniidæ. GENUS. GOLIATHUS, _De Lamarck_. Cetonia, _Oliv._ Scarabæus, _Linn, &c._