2(JQ (Febniary, 



groups : in it, the head has undergone a peculiar change, by -which the 

 front half is bent down at right angles to the posterior half ; now, if 

 this bent-down front portion be supposed to be bent up so as to restore 

 it to its natural plane, it will be seen that the point of insertion of the 

 antennae is that of the Aleocharini, or, perhaps I should rather say, of an 

 ultra Aleocharineous Aleocharinid, for the point of insertion would 

 then be correctly described as at the inner margin of the eye, but 

 rather nearer to the back than to the front of the eye : if, on the other 

 hand, we suppose this peculiar deflexed front portion of the head of 

 Vatesus, together with the corresponding portion of the eye, to be 

 greatly reduced in size, it is at once seen that the foi'm of the head 

 and the insei'tion of the antennae would be exactly that of the ordi- 

 nary Tachijporini. 



I consider, then, that the Vatesus latitnns here described cannot 

 be correctly classed with either the Aleocharini or Tachyporini, but 

 should be considered apart as a connecting link between the two. I 

 may remark also that this insect appears to have some points of re- 

 lation with certain peculiar Quediini ; but this I have not fully in- 

 vestigated, and only mention it as rendering still more probable the 

 hypothesis that Vatesus is in many respects a very primitive form or 

 synthetic type. 



On one other point, I will venture to offer a suggestion. "When 

 this insect is carefully examined, it is seen that its points of structure 

 are such as to unfit it for much activity, but to afford it great pro- 

 tection in complete quiescence ; thus the segments of the hind body 

 are completely retractile, and Avhen so retracted, leave scarcely any 

 portion of this part exposed, except the ventral plate of the basal 

 segment, and this is protected by peculiar rigid spines. The extremely 

 small head is capable of being completely inflexcd, and the sensitive 

 front parts of it are then completely protected by the huge front 

 coxae ; and I believe that the peculiar change of form of the front 

 parts of the upper surface of the head will, on careful examination, be 

 found to be merely a perfecting of this applicability. The legs are so 

 formed that their parts are beautifully adapted to one another when 

 flexed or contracted, the articulations being then completely protected, 

 while the largo flat femora completely cover and protect the breast. 

 "We can imagine, then, a small parasite seeking in vain to find a chink 

 by which to gain access to the soft and nutritious parts of our Vatesus. 

 Now, I am strongly inclined to consider that in a great many Coleoptera, 

 and probably in other insects, it will be found that a vast number of 



