452 REVISION OP THE AUSTRALIAN CURCULIONID^, xii., 



usually deep at the sides. When it is deep and straight, the second 

 segment is seldom much longer than the third. The three apical 

 ones are frequently strongly narrowed by the elytra. 



In the majority of species, the hind femora do not extend to the 

 apex of the abdomen, their grooving is often indistinct (especially 

 on the front part), and the dentition is sometimes variable in a 

 genus, and is even sometimes sexually variable. In Tetengia, the 

 legs, and in Cedilaus, the tibia?, are remarkable. 



The majority of the genera are apterous; in Onidistus, one 

 species is apterous, whilst the others are winged. In Tragopus, the 

 wings, though present, are too small to be used for flight. 



The colour and clothing are not of much use for purposes of 

 identification. The species are nearly all black, except for the 

 antennae and tarsi. The clothing is frequently of a muddy-brown, 

 is often slightly variable amongst individuals of a species, and is 

 usually easily abraded; moreover, owing to their habits, the cloth- 

 ing is often caked with mud. Wherever possible, at least one speci- 

 men of a species was abraded before the description of that species 

 was drawn up. Not infrequently the clothing conceals important 

 structural features, especially on the under-surface. 



In many of the species, there are a few shining sutural granules 

 on the basal half of the elytra ; these are sometimes hollow, and are 

 seldom constant in the species, or even on the different sides of an 

 individual. 



A number of the genera, particularly some of those towards the 

 end, do not appear to be satisfactorily placed, but I cannot suggest 

 a better location for them. The main difference between the Porop- 

 terus and the Chcetectetorus groups lies in the metasternum ; in the 

 latter group it is usually long, frequently longer than the basal seg- 

 ment of abdomen and with very distinct and often wide episterna. 



The following table is arranged solely for convenience of identi- 

 fication : — 



A. Pectoral canal terminated at or on abdomen... Myrtesis. 

 AA. Canal terminated before abdomen. 

 B. Mesosternal receptacle open. 



a. Rostrum short and wide Eufaustia. 



aa. Rostrum rather long and thin. 



