No. XIV. 



Remarks on the use of the Maxillse in Coleopterous Insects, 

 ivith an Account of two Species of the Family Telepho- 

 ritlse, and of three of the Family Mordellidse, tvhich ought 

 to be the Type of two distinct Genera. By N. M. Hentz. 



r I^HE maxillae in most coleopterous insects may not have 

 -*- as much influence in the masticating of the food as has 

 been supposed. Latreille long ago has shown that Fabri- 

 cius's characters of his Eleutherata and Synistata were erro- 

 neous, since in all the grinding insects the maxillae are attached 

 to or connected with the tongue. After mature considera- 

 tion, I have even come to the conclusion that the maxillae, in 

 many cases, must be considered only as appendages to the 

 tongue, and that their use, then, is similar to that of this last 

 organ ; that is, to assist in the deglutition of food, while they 

 seldom serve to grind or lacerate, excepting in the Melolon- 

 thidae, Rutelidse, and a few more, where there seems to be a 

 departure from their primary use. De Geer, quoted by Kir- 

 by and Spence, long ago observed in Leptura quadrifasciata 

 that the maxillae were terminated by soft appendages, fringed 

 with hair. There the chief use of the maxillae could not be 

 mistaken ; they are evidently employed to penetrate into the 

 corolla of flowers, somewhat in the same manner as the antlia 

 of Lepidopterous insects. We are already acquainted with 

 the genus Nemognatha, established by Illiger, where the 

 maxillae can hardly have any power in masticating or lacera- 



