Coleopteroloyical Notices. 300 



Lel)iiiii, in the Pselaphidie among the Ctenistini, and in the Sta- 

 phylinidae among the Oraalini ; it is even more pronounced in many 

 parts of the Cerambycidae, Tenebrionid®, and Otiorhynchidae. 



In regard to the genus Murmidius and its allies, it is quite clear 

 that their affinities are wholly with Cerylon and Philothermns, and 

 not at all with the Ilisteridse, although a few modifications of struc- 

 ture which are characteristic of that family reappear in them. 

 These resemljlances are limited to the prosternal lobe and elevated 

 lines alone, for the antennae are received in deep prosternal excava- 

 tions in true Colydiides, as, for example, in Megataphrus, and the 

 retractibility of the legs is of very variable extent and consequently 

 of subordinate value as will appear below. The prosternal lobe, 

 even, is fully developed only in one of the four genera. On the 

 other hand the antenna?, in general form and position, the trophi, 

 and the structure of the abdomen, are entirely similar to those of 

 the Cerylonini. 



jWEGATAPHRUS n. gen. (Megataphrini). 



Head porrect ; sides far overreaching the base of the antennae, the eyes very 

 rudimentary, consisting of four or five very large circular facets arcuately 

 bordering the anterior basal margin of a small tubercle situated at the sides 

 of the extreme base. Antennae inserted far in advance of the eye, very slen- 

 der, 11-jointed, the club abrupt, consisting of two separate but rather approxi- 

 mate joints, one to eight very slender, nearly nude and very sparsely setose, 

 cylindrical, one to five longer than wide, three longer than two and nearly as 

 long as four and five together, six to eight gradually shorter but equal in 

 width, nine slightly transverse, ten abruptly much wider, transverse, eleventh 

 much wider than long, longer than and fully as wide as the tenth, apical 

 joints more densely pubescent. Antennal grooves at the sfdes of the head 

 very wide and deep, continued directly on to the hypomera, where they are 

 extremely large and deeply excavated, the excavation nearly straight, parallel 

 to the lateral edges, continuing through anterior three-fifths of the prothoracic 

 length and extremely disproportionate to the size of the antennse, being fully 

 ten times as voluminous and of very great depth. Mentum transverse, with a 

 very strong angulate carina extending from the basal angles to the middle of 

 the apex ; interior of the angulate portion concave, not carinate. Ligula short, 

 with a rounded discal tubercle. Palpi moderate ; last joint of the maxillary 

 rather large, slightly longer than wide, much longer and wider than the third, 

 ovoidal, obliquely and broadly truncate at apex. Mandibles obtusely notched 

 at apex. Labrum short and transverse, the basal half feebly declivous ; the 

 apical vertical. Coxae moderately widely separated throughout, the anterior 

 as widely so as the intermediate, small, globular, very deeply inserted, the 

 process wide, truncate, scarcely extending beyond the coxae, the cavities open 



