306 INSECTA MADEREXSIA. 



and distinct), and the interstices with a row of minutely impressed points down each ; rounded 

 and entire at their extremity. Antentue and legs longer and more robust than those of the last 

 species ; the former ferruginous, the latter piceous. 



An exceedingly well-marked Hylastes, slightly resembling in general contom- 

 the common European H. ater, though with abundant distkictiye characters of its 

 own which altogether separate it specifically from that insect. From the H. Tri- 

 folii it may be at once recognised by its narrower, and remarkably parallel, though 

 somewhat less convex, form, by its more produced and keeled head, by its much 

 longer and ^)os^<?rio?7_?/-subattenuatcd prothorax, by its altogether less rugulose, 

 though more distinctly pimctured, sm"face, and by its robuster and less abbreviated 

 limbs. It would seem to be extremely rare, — a single specimen, captured by 

 myself at (I believe) the Ribeii'o Frio, being the only example which I have 

 hitherto seen. 



Fam. 34. CTJECULIONID^. 



(Div. 1. MECORHYNCHI.) 



(Subf. 1. COSSONIDES.) 

 Genus 107. RHYNCOLUS. 



(Creutzer) Germ. Ins. Spec. 307 (1824). 



Corpus parvum, subcylindricum : rostro brevi crassiusculo lineari subdcflexo : prothorace subconvexo, 

 ad latcra pone medium rotundato, autice Icvitcr coarctato : ehjtris cylindricis : alls vLx amplis. 

 Antenna breviusculse crassiusculse, in medio rostri insertae ; funiculo 7-articulato, articulo primo 

 majore, reliquis brevioribus, ultimo clav?e baud arete adpresso ; capitulo solido subovato ob- 

 scurissimc annulato. Pedes breves validiusculi subjequales, antici basi approximati vel parum 

 distantes : femoribus muticis : tibiis rectis, ad apiccm externum in imcum magnum acutum pro- 

 ductis : tarsis gracilibus, articulo ultimo clavato unguiculis mediocribus munito. 



Tlic present genus and the following one contain insects which arc removed but 

 slightly from the Ilylesinkhe. Both in thcu* habits and general aspect indeed they 

 possess much in common with Hylastes, and may be regarded as the connecting 

 links between the groups through which we have just passed and the CurcuUo- 

 uiclce. They reside either beneath the loose bark of trees or in the interior of 

 rotten wood, — which may be often observed to be thickly perforated M-itli their 

 l)urrows, into which their subeylindrical bodies, and the strong cm-vcd hook with 

 which the outer apex of thek tibite is fui-nished (a structure which is greatly 

 developed in the eaidy members of the CurcidionklcB), enable them to advance and 

 retreat Avith facility. The Bhyncoli are widely distributed over the world, and are 

 usually very gregarious. Schonherr, in his Genera et Species CurcuUonidum, 



