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CHAPTER XI. 



The Megarhinina Sub-family. 



The members of this sub-family form a very natural group, 

 which, especially iu the type genus, present a general appearance 

 which is so characteristic that its members can be recognised at 

 a glance, once one has become familiar with a few species. 

 They are all comparatively large insects, the smallest of them 

 being a good deal over the average size of the family, and are 

 generally conspicuous for their brilliant metallic colouring, of 

 green, gold, and violet, some of them rivalling the well-known 

 "diamond beetles" in their gorgeous reflections. The apex of 

 the abdomen is usually broadened in appearance by a pair of 

 large lateral, subterminal tufts of hairs, which are commonly 

 brilliantly coloured, often in effective contrast with the hairs 

 that fringe the end of the abdomen in the middle. Another 

 peculiarity is that the proboscis, which is always large, is bent 

 downwards, almost into a hook. In length the palpi of the 

 type genus resemble those of Anopheles, being as long or longer 

 than the proboscis in both sexes, but they differ in the terminal 

 joint being subulate, instead of club-shaped. 



Although the number of species is not large they are widely 

 distributed throughout the tropical and sub-tropical regions, and 

 are essentially forest insects, never being found in houses. 



In both genera of the sub-family the nape and vertex is 

 clothed with flat, imbricating scales only. They are distinguished 

 from each other as follows : — 



Palpi long in <y , shorter in 2 ; first sub-mar- 

 ginal cell very small, much smaller than 

 second posterior cell ; proboscis long, bent Sub-family Megarhin^. 



Palpi 5-jointed in $ (long) Genus 1 MegarJdner. 



PalpiS-joiutedin $ (comparatively short) Genus 2 Toxorliynchitcs. 



Genus I. MEGARHINA. 



The original definition of this genus is sufficiently detailed to 

 stand good, but the scale characters of the head and scutellum 

 already mentioned are thoroughly generic, and it may be added 



