Anatomy of the Male Genital Tube in Coleoptera. 613 
We may conclude these very fragmentary observations 
by pointing out that the diversity of the structures indi- 
cates a considerable variety of functional detail. 
V. TAXONOMY AND PHYLOGENY. 
TAXONOMY. 
It has been supposed that the copulatory structures 
are bad guides in classification, although they are generally 
admitted to be of the first importance for the discrimination 
of species. If, however, the extreme importance of the 
genital conduit be seized, it will appear that its structure 
must certainly be of very great assistance in taxonomy. 
We have in this memoir considered the male portion 
only of the genital conduit, and that in a very imperfect 
manner. It seems possible that if the female part of the 
conduit were studied important distinctions would be 
found therein. The only considerable contribution to this 
subject we are acquainted with is the work of Stein (Mon. 
Geschl., Organe, etc.). This was published sixty years 
ago, and was not specially directed to the consideration of 
the conduit, but so far as we can form an opinion from it, 
and from our own limited observations and a few other 
memoirs, the probability of important differences in the 
female structures is confirmed. 
Under these circumstances it will be suggested that we 
are not justified in making taxonomical generalisations on 
the subject of the genital conduit at present. With that 
suggestion we entirely concur. Nevertheless, as taxonomy 
has been carried on with little or no consideration of this 
important branch of anatomy, we think it important to 
introduce this subject, notwithstanding the very incomplete 
state of our knowledge. 
The generalisations that follow are, it will be seen, 
imperfect and unsatisfactory. Possibly wider inquiry may 
bring to light important distinctions we have failed to 
appreciate, and it is also probable—we may say certain— 
that such inquiry would reveal the existence of annectant 
forms we are unacquainted with. As a further apology 
for the following generalisations we may ask that it shall 
be remembered that the other data of Coleopterous 
taxonomy are also very incomplete. 
