SNOUT-BEETLES OR WEEVILS. 127 



louged into a snout. Antennae usually capitate, rarely serrate or fili- 

 form. Larvae niostlj* fiuctivorous. Families: Jhiiehuhe, Antiuibi(l:e, 

 Brentbidie, Curculiouidie. 



Tribe 2d (or ITtli). Sliort-hornt'd Wood-borers. JJ<jnivora hrcvicornid. 

 Xylophacja, Ijatreille. Head without snout; body short and cylindri- 

 cal ; autenuae clavate or capitate, but little longer than the head ; larvju 

 li^nivorous. Family : Scolytidie. 



Tribe 3d (or 18th). Lonj;- horned NN'ood-borers. Lignivora longicornia. 

 EUCERATA, Westwood. liody elongated; antenna} long and tapering, 

 usually longer than head and thorax. Larvie lignis^orous. Family : 

 Cerambycidie. 



Tribe 4tU (or 19th). Tetramerous Plant-beetles. Herhivora tetramera. 

 Phytopiiaga, Kirby. Body usually short and rounded; antenna' tili- 

 iorm or slightly and gradually enlarged toward the end. Larvie herbi- 

 vorous. Family : Chrysciuielida', including the sub-families Criocerides, 

 (lalerucides, Eumolpides, Chrysomelides, Cryptocephalides, Hispides 

 and Cassidides. 



Tribe XVI. 



SNOUT-BEETLES, OR WEEVILS. 



Fructimra rostnita. Rhynchophora, Latreille. 



This tribe of beetles, most of which are conii)rised in the family of 

 Curculionida', is supposed to be the most numerous in species, not only 

 in the class of insects, but in the whole animal kingdom. The only 

 question of the correctness of this estimate would be with resi)ect to 

 some of the families of microscoi>ic animalcula, but here the superiority 

 in number would probably be found to be in individuals only, and not 

 in distinct species. The number of species of Curculionida', specimens 

 of which actually exist in the collections of Europe and of this country, 

 does not vary much from 20,000. The number of North American spe- 

 cies enunu'rated in ^Ir. Crotch's check list of 1S73, is -41 1 ; and this cata- 

 logue undoubtedly falls far short of the whole luimber, especially of the 

 smaller species. 



The prolongation of the head anteriorly, in the form of a slender 

 snout, generally serves to distinguish the beetles of this tribe from all 

 others. But in a considerable number the snout is so short and broad 

 as not to aiford a very distinguishing feature. In cases of doubt, there- 

 fore, the student must take other characters into account. The most 

 important of these is the usually rudi mental state of palpi, and the four- 

 jointed, cushioned, and bilobed tarsi. The antenn:e, in the great ma- 

 jority, are knobbed at the end, and geniculate or bent like an elbow near 

 the middle. * 



