PROCEEDING.- MOLOGICAL SOCIETY 35 



It would be out of place now. to formulate a definite explana- 

 tion of the unusual life cycle, that is here apparant. and which 

 may be summarized, as far as has been observed, into the five 

 stages: <'1:> viviparous, larviform. reproductive stage, in cell in 

 wood, giving birth to 2 legged larva, which crawl into f 

 the wood. feed, and mor;. Dining. the legless larvae de- 

 scribed and figured by Hubbard. and from which it is believed 

 either the reproductive form 1 or ~ 'he pupae of. (5) the winged 

 adults are derived. 



We may have here merely a case of extreme sexual dimorphism, 

 as in Phengode*. which lay eggs or the Strepsiptera, which are 

 viviparous, but if so, how is the fertilization of the helpless, repro- 

 ductive form hi the cell of the wood, often some distance under- 

 ground, accomplished, and how can a new colony become estab- 

 lished in a fresh log? There must be a migratory stage, more 

 capable of travel than the crawling first larval stage. Perhar - 

 winged, egg-laying female will be found, proving the birth of I 

 legged larvae, from the degraded mother, to be paedogenesis. similar 

 to that found in Miastor. The well-known agamic, viviparous 

 reproduction of the Aphids may be considered a peculiar t 

 of psedogenesis in which the young, being of the form of the adult 

 may acquire wings or other adult characteristics, although they 

 still remain essentially larvae, the males and egg-laying females 

 being regarded as the only really adult individuals. 



The comprehensive article on viviparous and ovo-viviparous 

 reproduction in the Chrysomelid genus Orina. by Champion and 

 Chapman 1 brings together the literature on viviparity in beetles. 

 The first mention seems to be Schiodete's account of the finding 

 of well-formed larvae, in the dilated abdomen of the very remark- 

 able temitophilous Staphylinid. Corotoca. It is unfortunate that 

 this paper has been followed by a period of sixty years hi which, 

 apparently, no corroborative observations have been made on 

 these beetles which Pr - r Reinhardt found with certainty in 

 every tree-nest of terrain ~ . :nined in the vicinity of Lagoa 

 Santa. Minas Geraes. Brazil. 



For the present the genus should stand alone in our classifica- 

 tion, probably representing a distinct family, but it is not improb- 

 able, that some of the obscurely treated exotic genera of the 

 Malacodermata. will be found to be allied to it. The possible 

 relationship to the the Xitidulidse. is suggested by the supple- 

 mentary third antennal joint of the larva and is somewhat sup- 

 ported by the habitus of the adult. 



1 Tr. Ent. Soc., London, 1901, pp. 1-1S plates i ari-i 



! Vid. Selsk. Skr. 5R. nature, og math. Afd. Iv. B-ls>4. author's sepa- 

 rate, pp. 14-17. plate i. 



