122 FAUNA HAWAIIENSIS 



probably one which is now in the process of becoming divided into several, the division 

 not yet being complete. Some of the species of Rhyncogonus too are variable, as also 

 are those belonging to the genera Dryophthorus and Heteramplms, and there is no 

 doubt that many of the species of Acalles will prove to be equally so, when they have 

 been collected in numbers sufficient for an investigation on this point. 



The Curculionidae of the islands are as a whole remarkably isolated. The RJiynco- 

 goni of the Otiorhynchini and the solitary indigenous species of Peiitarthruiu and 

 Orothreptes all probably originated in the Pacific islands, for the latter appears to be 

 most allied to the New Zealand Sericoirogus, although this alliance is by no means 

 close. The very important Cossonideous genera Oodemas, Anotheorus, Heteramplius 

 and Nesoiocus, on the other hand, are of quite uncertain origin, no near ally to any of 

 these forms having been found elsewhere. Indeed great as are the differences between 

 the first three of these genera it would appear that they are at least as closely connected 

 inter se as they are with anything outside the islands. Thus some of the species of 

 Oodemas, entirely different as they are in facies, do make some approach to Heteramplius, 

 while Anotheorus and Oodemas appear to be more nearly allied. 



Wollaston remarks that metallic colouring is of rare occurrence in the Cossonini, 

 so that it is worthy of note that no less than 49 species, in fact all the members of the 

 genus Oodemas and Anotheorus, are so coloured. The extreme similarity in colour and 

 clothing between the very diverse genera Orothreptes and Deinocossomcs, is quite extra- 

 ordinary, both being clothed with a golden pubescence, in which they greatly resemble 

 the New Zealand Sericotrogiis, although Deinocossomis does not even belong to the 

 same section of the Cossonini as the other two. 



§ 2. Systematic account of the Curculionidae. 



Tribe OTIORHYNCHINI. 



Rhyncogonus Sharp. 



(i) Rhyncogonus nitidus, sp. nov. 



Niger, nitidus, supra fere glaber. Caput cum pronoto laeve, et distincte punctatum. 

 Elytra nitida, seriatim punctata. Abdominis segmentum ventrale apicale d'-is latum, 

 opacum, pubescens, densissime punctatum, apice truncate, $-ae nitidum, parcius pubes- 

 cens, apice angusto, subacuto. Long. 12 — 17 mm. (Plate VII. fig. i.) 



Black, smooth, and shining, often with a small spot of pale pubescence on each 

 side of the thorax at the base, the % generally larger and more robust than the ^. 



