452 REVISION OF THE AUSTRALIAN CURCULIONID^, 



to the apex had been narrowly pressed in whilst soft in Mormo- 

 sintes rubus it is greatly developed. In several of the allies of 

 C'hcetectetorus it is laterally continued on the disc. 



Mesosternal receptacle. — That part of the mesosternum between 

 the coxfe in which the rostrum rests. It appears to be the most 

 trustworthy character in the group, though occasionally slightly 

 variable sexually. In the majority of species it is cavernous; in 

 a number it is open; in several it appears as a semicircular row 

 of graimles. When the rostrum does not rest in it but is con- 

 tinued beyond its position ( Melanferius, etc.) I call it the 

 mesosternal plate. 



Intermediates. — The 3rd and 4th abdominal segments. 

 My measurements are taken with the rostrum resting in the 

 canal ; if there are apical or lateral tubercles or mucros these 

 have been included. Mr. Pascoe appears to have measured his 

 specimens with the rostrum extended, as in a great many instances 

 the lengths of my specimens are less than those gi^'en by him, 

 but if the head and rostrum were included they would agree. 

 INIr. Waterhouse evidently measured his specimens in the same 

 way. 



The granulation of the eyes can frequently be usefully employed 

 but cannot be entirely depended upon. It will be noticed that 

 when the eyes are large they are usually finely faceted and 

 flattened, and when small, coarsely faceted and more convex. 



The curvatm-e of the rostrum is not always to be depended 

 upon generically, being frequently subject to specific and sexual 

 variation. 



I do not propose to make any use of the scrobes in defining the 

 genera. In all the species I have examined, both Australian and 

 foreign, these terminate either at or very close to the lower edge 

 of the eyes. The scape always (with a few remarkable exceptions, 

 and then only in the male sex when it passes) reaches the eye, so 

 that this character, so useful in other groups, cannot be usefully 

 employed in this. A very useful character, however, is whether 

 the scape passes the apex of rostrum or not; but this is subject 

 to considerable specific variation and is usually sexually variable. 



