300 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



primo crasso, secundo paulo breviore crassiusculo, ultimo graciliore elongato-subovato. Liyula 

 niembranacea subclougata, basi angustata, apice truncal a. Pedes longiores validi : tibiis com- 

 pressis, apiccm versus cxtus dentatis necnon subito et valde dilatatis, ad apiceni internum spina 

 recta (in anticis, V. 1 e, robustu obtusa, in posterioribus gracili acuta) armatis : tarsis pseudo- 

 tetramcris [i. e. 5-articulatis, articulo tertio valde bilobo quartum minutissimum inter lobos reci- 

 pientc) articulis tribus baseos longiusculis crassiusculis, quinto elongato crasso clavato unguiculis 

 simplicibus munito. 

 A ^Xoto? cortex, et <f>d6po<; excisio. 



A most important and well-marked genus, supplying a link which has been long 

 looked for 1)etween the present family and the Cissiche. It is difficult indeed to 

 overrate the significance of this interesting form, bearing witness as it does in the 

 strongest manner to the affinity of the two groups in question ; for, whilst its oral 

 organs and feet are moulded on the Rhjoicophorous type, the triarticulated and 

 perfoliated clava of its (comparatively elongated) antennae is almost coincident 

 with that of Cis. ■ The antonn;e of the whole of this section of the Xylophaga, it is 

 well known, are remarkal)lc for their extremely solid club, — which is perliaps the 

 most constant of all the characters which have been employed by those Avho would 

 remove it to a distance from the allies of Apate. I have already stated that I 

 cannot but believe such a step to be an unnatural one ; and, if further evidence 

 were necessary in support of this, it covild not be fiu-nishcd more effectually than 

 by the discovery of a modification like PhloeophtJwrKS, which combines at once the 

 essential featiu-es of each of the departments under consideration. Still, it must 

 only be regarded as possessing a very limited connection with the Cissidce, since 

 the majority of its details are altogether Rhyncophorous, and point to the Ilylcsi- 

 nidce as its undoubted location. Upon the whole, I should imagine it to be more 

 akin perhaps to Fhla'otribiis than to anji;hing else, — which, it will be recollected, 

 offi;rs, as regards its clava, the only exception to the normal representatives of this 

 division of the Xylophaga hitherto described. And, although the greatly lamel- 

 lated club of Phloeotrlbiis does certainly recede widely from that of Phloeophthorus, 

 yet this difierence is more in degree than in kind, since the two lower joints of 

 that of the latter are slightly produced internally, as thougli to give the first 

 warning of the peculiarity of development which is carried to its maximum in the 

 former : added to which, moreover, the fact of its being composed in both cases of 

 three articulations only (whereas four, when indeed they are sufficiently distinct to 

 be recognised at all, are almost invariably indicated in the present groujjs), — 

 whilst at the same tune they agree equally in their tibiae and yb«/"-jointed funiculi 

 (a number which obtains only, so far as I am aware, in three other genera of the 

 III/ les ill idee and Tomicidce combined, namely Toiniciis, JJi/pobonis and Dendroc- 

 tonus), — would certainly tend to strengthen this relation rather than to weaken it. 

 Its habits are, in all probability, more stalk-infesting than actually Ugnivorous, — 

 its somewhat pliant external envelope and general contour l)espeakiug an attach- 

 ment rather to the softer plants than to the forest-trees. 



