290 COL?:orTKRA 



amongst the most perfect of Insects ; their external structure (as 

 sliown by Eugnoristus monaclius, Fig. 147) Toeing truly admirable. 

 Only four families of Ehynchophora can be at present 

 accepted as satisfactory ; one of these — Curculionidae — includes 

 an enormous majority of the whole series. Though it is probable 

 that it will ultimately be divided into several families, the 

 attempts to that end that have already been made are not 

 satisfactory. 



Fam. 80. Anthribidae. — Palpi 'usually not covered, hut dis- 

 tinct and flcxihlc. Antennae often long, not elboived, the Jirst joint 

 not very long, lliird joint of tarsus small, usually much concealed 

 by being embraced by the second joint. Pygidium exposed' ; 'p>''>- 

 'pygidium deeply grooved, in the middle. This family includes 800 

 or more species, which are mostly tropical ; it is very sparsely 

 represented in the faunas of Europe and North America. It is 

 ({uite distinct from Curculionidae with which it was formerly 

 associated. It contains many graceful Insects having a certain 

 resemblance with Longicorus on account of the large development 

 of the antennae. The habits and meta- 

 morphoses are but little known. It 

 seems probaljle that many species find 

 their nutriment in old wood or l)oleti. 

 The larvae of some genera {Cratoparis 

 and Araeocerus) have legs, but in others 

 the legs are wanting, and the larvae are 

 said to completely resemble those of 

 Curculionidae. In the larva of our 

 tiny British species, CJioragus sheppardi, 

 the legs are replaced by three pairs 

 of thoracic, sac-like pseudopods. This 

 Insect makes burrows in dead branches 

 F,G. 148. -- Piatyrhimis lati- ^f hawthorn. The larvae of the genus 



/•os^ns, Autnnbidae. Britain. _ '^ 



A, the perfect Insect ; B, Brachytarsus have been ascertained to 



tarsus and tip of tibia. n • n 



^ prey on Coccidae. 



Fam. 81. Curculionidae {Weevils). — The beak of very variahle 

 length and thickness ; the pcdpi smcdl, nearly always concealed 

 within the mouth, short, and rigid. Lahrum absent. Antennae 

 of the majority elbotved, i.e. with the based joint longer, and. so 

 formed that tohen it is laterally extended the other joints can be 

 placed in a forivard direction. This enormous family includes 



