234 MR. CURTIS ON HYPOCEPHALUS, A GENUS OF COLEOPTERA. 



merely a head or fulcrum at the base of the terminal joint, which is rendered necessary 

 from the 3rd joint being bilobed and cushioned beneath ; but as a general rule I consider 

 the bilobed joint to be the penultimate, not the antepenultimate joint, throughout the Co- 

 leoptera, especially where there is only one bilobed joint* ; and when a joint is either added 

 or withdrawn, the change takes place at the base of the tarsus f. The Heteromera, I think, 

 substantiate this position, for in the four anterior feet, it is the 4th joint which is bilobed ; 

 but in the hinder pair it is the 3rd joint which is thus formed, in those species which 

 are furnished with bilobed joints. Even in the few exceptions, if they be admitted as 

 such, we find more than one bilobed joint in the foot, or where it is the antepenultimate, 

 which it very rarely is, which is altered in structure, it is not bilobed, but cup-shaped or 

 sloped off obliquely ; moreover the false joint in the Longicornes is not cushioned beneath 

 like the 3 preceding joints, which shows it is merely the base of the 4th or terminal joint. 



Neither do I insist that Hypocephalus is a Lamellicom, although I feel a conviction 

 that it is not a Longicorn. All my claims for it are based on its being truly a Penta- 

 merous beetle, which draws it nearer to the Lucanidce than it can possibly be attracted 

 to the Cerambycidce, by any less important character. If indeed subsequent discoveries 

 should furnish types to unite the Lucanida and the Prionidce, Hypocephalus may possibly 

 assist in such a union, and I am not sure that it would not be more in accordance with 

 nature, to change the position of the Heteromera in a linear arrangement, and attach 

 them to the Trimera, with which they have a considerable resemblance. For the Hete- 

 romera whilst partaking the characters of numberless families, cannot be associated with 

 any of them. 



In changing the position of the primary divisions, we should not abandon the philo- 

 sophic and admirable systems of Latreille ; and if we suffer ourselves to be seduced by 

 analogies to wander from well-established systems, without sufficient reasons, we shall 

 have eventually to retrace our steps to free science from the difficulties and confusion 

 in which it has been involved. It is only necessary to review the Heteromera, to see 

 how dangerous it would be to lose sight of the tarsal system, for in that extraordinary 

 Section, which seems so distinct from the rest of the Coleoptera, one finds the types of 

 form of almost every family of beetles, from Carabus to Coccinella % ; and I am ashamed 

 to confess that when I collected materials for my " Guide to an Arrangement of British 

 Insects," I was so captivated by analogies, which was the prevailing taste of the times, 



* Vide Curtis's Brit. Ent. Genus Brypta, pi. 454 ; Demetrias, pi. 119 ; Melandrya, pi. 155 ; Lagria, pi. 598. 

 Also all the Genera of Curculionidce and Cerambycidce ; the only exceptions are in the Trimera and perhaps Xylo- 

 phihis. 



f Additional joints seem to be added at the base of the Tarsi in the Hydrophilidce. Vide Curt. Brit. Ent. Elo- 

 phorus, pi. 466 ; Enicoeerus, pi. 291 ; Ochthebius, pi. 250, and Hydrophilus, pi. 159. 



X Thus the Carabida are represented by Adelium and Akis ; Scarites by Scaurus ; Harpahis by Pedinus and Pan- 

 darus ; Silpha by Asida ; Peltis by Pteroheleeus or Cilibe, Latr. ; Trox by Bolitophagus ; Melasis and Agryhis by 

 Birctea and Serropalpus ; Telephorus by Nothus ; Clerida by Layria ; Brachycerus by Moluris and Sepidiuni ; 

 Callidium by Pytho ; Timarcha by Gnaptor ; Cassidc? by Cossyphus ; Coccinella by Nilio ; Erotylus by Campsia, &c. 

 It is twenty years since I first stated that the Coleoptera were composed of 4 distinct Types (it ought to have been 

 5 lines of form. Vide Brit. Ent. fol. 498), one of which was the Heteromera, which seems to be a group complete in 

 itself, and although reflecting all the other Families, being anatomically distinct from them all. 



