THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



279 



immense mass of genera and species described, it became 

 quite impossible to determine either from the work itself. 



II. Although the faults found with this artificial system 

 were neither few nor vaguely expressed, yet it was not until 

 the progress (1863) of his admirable work on the ' Genera of 

 Coleoptera,' by my deceased friend Prof. Lacordaire, required 

 this immense labour to be done over again, that any attempt 

 was made at a new arrangement. The system of Lacordaire 

 was essentially this : — The series was divided into six 

 families, — Curculionida?, Bruchidae, Anthribidae, Brenthidae, 

 Ulocerida3, and Scolytidas : of these the Bruchidae were 

 recognized as having scarcely any relations with the other 

 families, and pertaining rather to the Chrysomelidae, with 

 which they have since been associated by most authors. 

 The Bruchida3 and AnthribidcE were characterized by having 

 a distinct labrum ; the Scolytidae by the compressed and 

 dentate tibiae ; while the Brenthidae were separated rather by 

 form than by any distinct structural character. The Curcu- 

 lionidae were then divided, according to the size of the 

 mentum, into — 



I. Mentum closing the buccal space, and con- 

 cealing the maxillae. - - - Adeloonathi. 

 Eyes rounded ; prothoracic lobes indistinct. Cyclojjhthabnes. 

 Eyes large, depressed, transverse, narrowed 



below ; prothoracic lobes well marked. - Oxijoplithalmes. 



IT. Mentum smaller ; maxillae visible. - - Phanerognathi. 



A. Front coxae contiguous, or nearly so. - Synmerides. 



a. Pygidium covered by the elytra; 

 claws not appeudiculate. 

 Metasternum short ; cpisterua narrow. 

 Gular peduncle wanting. 

 Gular peduncle distinct. 

 Metasternum long ; episterua rather wide. 

 Antennae geniculate. 

 Antennae straight. 



h. Pygidium exposed, or claws ap- 

 pendiculate. 

 Ventral segments not angulated at the sides. 

 Ventral segments angulated. 



B. Front cox;e separated by the pro- 



sternum, which is frequently chan- 

 nelled for the reception of the beak. Ajiostasimcndes. 



