COLEOPTERA. 



539 



All these insects feed upon vegetable substances. Their larvae have generally short feet, or 

 they are wanting and replaced by fleshy lobes in a great number. The perfect insect is found 

 upon the flowers or leaves of plants. I divide this section into seven families ; the larvae of the 

 first four or five live mostly hidden in the interior of vegetables, and are generally deprived of 

 feet, or have them very minute ; many of them devouring the hard and ligneous particles. These 

 beetles are the largest of the section. 



THE FIRST FAMILY OF THE COLEOPTERA TETRAMERA,— 



The Weevils {Rhyncophora), — 



Is distinguished by the anterior elongation of the head, which forms a sort of muzzle or proboscis ; the 

 majority have the abdomen thick, and the antenna; elbowed and often clavate ; the penultimate joint 

 of the tarsi is nearly always bilobed, and the posterior femora are toothed in the majority. 



The larvae have the body oblong, like a very soft white worm, with a scaly head, and destitute of 

 feet, or having only small fleshy tubercles in their stead. They devour different parts of vegetables; many 

 bve entirely in the interior of fruits or seeds, and often commit great havoc ; their pupa; are inclosed 

 in a cocoon. Many Rhyncophora; also injure us in the perfect state, when they happen to become very 

 numerous in certain limits. They puncture the buds or leaves of various cultivated plants, and feed 

 upon their parenchyme. 



[If Latreille, in the second edition of this work, found it necessary to state that he was compelled 

 to omit many minute details occasioned by the works of Germar and Sehonherr, the latter published 

 in 1826, how much more necessary is it to do this now that Schonherr's great work has appeared upon 

 the Weevils, occupying ten thick octavo volumes.] 



Some have the labrum distinct ; the anterior elongated part of the head short, broad, depressed, and 

 muzzle-shaped; the palpi very distinct, filiform, or "thickened at the tip. They compose the genus — 



Bruchvs, Linn.,— 

 Which is thus divided :— Those species with the antennae thickened at the tips, the eyes not notched, and which 

 have five joints in the four anterior tarsi, form the subgenus Rhinotimut, which we have from the latter character 

 placed in the Heteromera. 



Those with similar antennae and eyes, but with only four joints in all the tarsi, the penultimate joint being hilobed, 

 form that of 



Antkribiu, Geoff., of which the species are found in old wood, or amongst flowers. 



Bruchus proper, has the antennas filiform, often serrated or pectinated, and the eyes entire ; the anus is naked, 

 and the hind feet generally very large. 



The female deposits an vx^'Z, in the young and tender germ of various leguminose or cereal plants, palms, &c, 

 upon which tlie larva feeds, and within which it undergoes its transformations : the perfect insect, in order to 

 make its escape, detaches a portion of the epidermis like a small cup ; hence the small holes too often observed in 

 peas, dates, &c. The perfect insect is found upon flowers. 



Bruchus Phi, Linn., is two lines long, black, with grey spots on the elytra; it does great mischief in certain 

 years [to peas], especially in North America. [The genus is very extensive*] 



Urodon, Sch. [Bruchela, Meg.], differs in having the three terminal joints of the antennae thickened. 



lihicbus, Fischer, has the elytra flexible, and the tarsal ungues bifid. R. gtbimri, Fis. [a minute beautiful green 

 species], 



XylopMbtt, BonelB, has the palpi terminated by a mass (Ant hints /><i/>uliiett*, oculatus, piiym.rus). [Some of thl 

 have been separated by me into the gpuera.fi/cn/* and Englenet in the Zoological Journal ; they appear near, r 

 allied to Nothui and other Heteromera.] 



The others have no visible labrum ; the palpi are short, scarcely visible to the naked eye, and of a 

 conical form ; the anterior prolongation of the head forma a beak or proboscis. 



Sometimes the antennae are straight, inserted upon the proboscis, and composed of from nine to 

 twelve joints. 



Those which have the three or four terminal joints forming a mass, compose the genus — 



A i i i.LAiirs, Linn., ami particularly of Fahricius. 



They devour the leaves or tender parts of vegetables, the females of the majority rolling up the haves, in which 

 thev lay their eggs, furnishing also a retreat for their young during the pern el whilst they are reeding. 



The proportions of the proboscis, the manner in which it is terminated, the tibia? and .<! domen, hare afforded 

 characters for the establishment of four subgenera. 



