Family. — Phoracanthid.e, Neivman. 



In this family I would propose to include Phoracantlia of Newman, 

 Mallocera, Sphaerion, Cordylomera, Trichophorus, and Elapliidion of 

 Audinet-Serville, and several other nearly-allied insects, many of 

 which are at present undescribed. They are generally to be distin- 

 guished at the first glance by having a short spine at the extremity of 

 several joints of the antennae, beginning with the third and usually 

 ending with the seventh : the head is porrected, nearly on a level 

 with the prothorax, and not deeply received into that part as in some 

 of the families of this extensive order. The elytra are generally 

 terminated by an oblique truncature, of which the exterior angle is 

 usually furnished with an acute spine. I have not given the name 

 Phoracanthida? in compliment to a genus of my own, but because that 

 genus is the type of the family, now for the first time collected toge- 

 ther or in any way indicated, and because the name is expressive of 

 the principal character by which the family is distinguished. 



Genus. — Phoracantha, Newman. 



The genus Phoracantha is described in the 'Annals of Natural His- 

 tory,' vol. V. p. 17. It had previously been regarded by Fabricius as 

 part of his genus Stenocorus; and the earlier entomologists of the same 

 school, as Donovan and Kirby, followed in his footsteps. The Count 

 Dejcan was the first to break up a genus, which, like Chrysomela of 

 Lmneus, seemed to be used by its author as a receptacle for sundries 

 requiring further investigation, and we find in the ' Catalogue des Co- 

 leopteres ' three sjjecies of Phoracantha placed under Serville's genus 

 Mallocera, although the last-mentioned author has indicated no such 

 intention : the Count de Castelnau, in his ' Animaux Articules,' has 

 followed Dej can's arrangement. 



The descriptions of the following species, the first only excepted, 

 were ready for publication nearly two years ago. In January last they 

 were actually on their way to the printer's when I heard that Mr. Hope 

 was at work on the same group : I instantly withdrew my descrip- 

 tions, lest my species should clash with his. Mr. Hope's paj)er has 

 subsequently been read at the Zoological Society, and he does not ap- 

 pear to possess a single species that I have described. The previous- 

 ly-described species of Phoracantha are, 1, synonyma of Newman, 

 * Ann. Nat. Hist.' 1. c, synonymous with Stenocorus punctatus of Kir- 

 by, 'Trans. Linn. Soc' xii. 471; 2, punctata of Donovan's 'Epitome 

 of the Insects of New Holland ; ' 3, tenehrosa of Newman, synony- 



