"TO Coleopterological Notices, III. 



segments; also in the thinner integuments of the body, with soft 

 and easily ruptured connective tissues. Perhaps some of the char- 

 acters which the family in general possesses in common with the 

 Strongyliini, indicate really a higher dev(!lopment than that of the 

 Asidina; and Tentyriinte; tlie superior powers of perception indi- 

 cated by the complex porous system of the antenna;, large eyes and 

 more developed palpi, would, at any rate, seemingly point to this 

 conclusion. 



As more important distinctive characters of the family, it may be 

 said that the antennae and tarsi are usually long and slender, the 

 basal joint of the posterior tarsi being more or less elongate. The 

 anterior coxae are narrowly separated, the cavities always closed 

 behind but never confluent, at least externally, although sometimes 

 separated by a very thin lamina ; beneath this lamina they may 

 possibly sometimes be confluent, but usually appear to be separated 

 by a more or less thickened membrane. The eyes are generally 

 large, sometimes extremel}^ so. The mandibles are small or moder- 

 ate, arcuate and finely notched at apex, occasionally being nearly 

 entire, but this character cannot be advantageously employed in 

 classification, except in distinguishing closely allied genera. The 

 genera with lobed tarsi appear, as a rule, to be more constant in 

 generic as well as specific characters, than those with simple tarsi. 



The sexual characters of the male are generally strongly mani- 

 fested in the eyes, antennae or genital api^aratus. The intromittent 

 organ is more or less acutely pointed at apex, the under side being 

 channeled, except very near the apex. Lying in this groove is a 

 curious straight spike hinged at one end to a point of attachment 

 within the channel, which can be placed in a position perpendi<;ular to 

 the organ, and which probably locks the organ securely to the inner 

 surface of the vagina. The strong hold thus obtained, is often 

 abundantly evident by the great extrusion of the female viscera in 

 specimens (;aptured in copula. It. is quite singular that this spike 

 is not exhibited in any of the many elaborate and apparently care- 

 ful drawings of Mr. Saunders published in the Biologia; it is often 

 plainly visible, i)rojecting from the under surface of the penis in 

 Ilymenorus. 



The abdomen consists of five segments in both sexes. The 

 oedeagus proper is protected by a plate which is often extruded 

 beyond but usually concealed beneath the fifth segment, the plate 



