LeConte.] ^-j-j j^jan. 5, 



Remarks : 



I. Tills family consists of hut one genus ; one species is found in Europe ; 

 all others known occur in our fauna. 



II, i. Rhynchites is cosmopoli.an ; Auletes occurs In Europe, and Eug- 

 naniptus in Asia. The latter is the most feebly developed of the family, 

 and rest'iiihles in its distribution, Othnius and Ischalia of the Heteromera, 

 and tribe Tachygonini (VI. iv, 17), mentioned below. 



II, ii Pterocolus is an isolated form, having at present no relationships 

 with other genera, though a feeble resemblance in form to the Ceutorhyn- 

 chini (VI, iv, 18). If my method of interiiretation be correct, there were 

 older genera, by which Pterocolus and Tachygonus were affiliated. 



III. Attelabus is cosmopolitan, and seems to be the highest development 

 in tiie series Haplogastra. 



IV. The B3'rso[)ida; are represented in all zoological regions, except Aus- 

 tralia ; but our genus, Thecesternus, represents an isolated group. From 

 the great ditterences between individuals, which seem to have unstable 

 specitic characters, I am disposed to regard this group as an ancient sur- 

 vival, in the process of evoluting into something else. The variations in 

 the lengtii of the humeral processes of the elytra, and in the sculpture are 

 scarcely explicable, unless we suppose that species formerly distinct are 

 hybridizing. That an ancient type shoiild suddenly effloresce in modern 

 times to produce many species is hardl}' conceivable, and we should, there- 

 fore, be willing to admit, that in this instance the phenomenon is one of 

 absorption, or integration rather than differentiation. 



V, 1. Barynotus Sckonherri occurs in Northern Europe, and is subarctic, 

 and therefore quite capable of being found on both continents. 



V, 3. Two species of Otiorhynchus are arctic, and common to both con- 

 tinents ; three have been introduced with fruit trees. Mylacus occurs in 

 Europe and Asia, and on our Pacific Coast ; Trachyphloius in Europe. 

 Asia, and in Eastern America. 



V, ■'"). Tanymecus is supposed to be cosmopolitan, but has not yet been 

 properly studied. Of the other genera in our fauna, Pandeleteius and 

 Paclin;eu3 extend to the Northern Tropics of America, and Iladromerus 

 even to Brazil. 



V, 6. Cyphus is largel}^ represented in Tropical America, and is conjec- 

 tured to occur in Asia ( C. chrysis, Fabr). The other genera, so far as 

 known, are North American, or extend only into the Northern Tropics. 



V, 7. The only described genus of this tribe is Lachnopus, which extends 

 from the Northern Tro])ics into our fauna. Tlie other genera in our fauna 

 are new, and their distribution is not yet known. 



V, 8. One species of Phyllobius has been introduced from Europe into 

 Canada. Scythropus occurs on both sides of the continent, in Europe, and 

 also in Northern Africa. 



V, 5). This tribe seems to be exclusively American, and one genus, Coleo- 

 ceruK, extends to the Southern Temperate Zone. 



VI, i. Sitones is confined to the northern hemisiihere ; of the eight spe- 

 cies in our fauna, five occur in Europe, and of these, but one, S. tibialis, 

 can be supposed to have been introduced. 



