KEY TO FAMILIKS. 17 



KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF RHYNCHOPHORA.* 



a. Beak rarely absent, usually longer than broad; tibiae never with a 

 series of teeth externally. 



1>. Antennae straight without a distinct club, though with the outer 

 joints often more or less thickened; beak present at least in fe- 

 male and pointing directly forward (Fig. 24); form usually very 

 slender and elongate. Family I. BRENTHIIVE, p. 18. 



bb. Antennae straight or elbowed, always with a distinct club. 



c. Palpi flexible; antennal club rarely compact; beak always short 

 and broad; labrum present; thorax with a transverse raised 

 line which is either ante-basal or basal. (Fig. 27.) 



Family II. ANTIIRIBID^, p. 23. 



cc. Palpi rigid and labrum wanting except in subfamily Rhinoma- 

 cerinaa; antennal club usually compact; beak variable in length, 

 often long and curved downwards. 



Family III. CURCULIOA T ID^, p. 46. 

 aa. Beak absent or extremely short and broad; tibia? with a series of 



teeth externally, or if these are wanting, with a prominent curved 

 spine at apex; antennae short, but little longer than head, always 

 elbowed and with a compact club except in Phlwoplithorus. where the 

 club is lamellate; palpi rigid; body short, subcylindrical or rarely 

 oval. Family IV. SC-OLYTILLE, p. 576. 



*In using this key the student must remember that while the Leak in many 

 Curculionida? is so long, slender and curved downwards as to permit of imme- 

 diately placing them in their family position, there are other species, especially 

 in the ( )tiorhyiichinae, whose broader beaks would suggest their belonging to the 

 Scolytid;e or Anthribidre. In such cases, if the antennas are elbowed, he must 

 find the serrate tibiae that characterize the Scolytidfe, or if straight, the flexible 

 palpi that characterize the Anthribid;e; otherwise the specimen does not belong to those 

 families. 



