and a new genus of Rhyncophorous ColeojJtera. 21 



sutures, 5th about twice as long as the 4th. Elytra 

 soldered together, without epipleuras, and without fold on 

 their inner face. Dorsal segments of hind body, except 

 the last one, formed of excessively fine membrane, so 

 that their number is difficult to distinguish ; the apical 

 one placed under elytra, obliquely perpendicidar in posi- 

 tion, without groove or mark at the base. Legs robust, 

 moderately long ; tibi* without apical spurs ; tarsi 3- 

 jointed, the basal joint very short, the 2nd joint very 

 large, consisting of two broad lobes which are very pubes- 

 cent beneath ; the 3rd joint stout, moderately long, termi- 

 nated by two separate, rather stout, simple claws. 



These characters show a relationship with Aglycyderes 

 of Westwood and Wollaston, one of the most anomalous 

 of the Coleoptera. The chief points in which the insects 

 I am at present considering depart from Aglycyderes are, 

 the narrow head, which in one sex is produced in front so 

 as to form a distinct beak, and the large development of 

 the lobes of the second tarsal joint. The tarsi, in Aglycy- 

 deres are said to be 4-jointed, but the joint intervening 

 between the 2nd and 4th is so minute, that it should not 

 be counted unless the Tetramera are considered to have 

 5 -jointed tarsi. 



I recently described a species of Aglycyderes from 

 New Zealand (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., July, 1876, 

 p. 28), and made some remarks on its position amongst 

 the Coleoptera, suggesting that it might be placed as an 

 aberrant member of the family Colydiidce; since then, 

 however, I have made some fresh investigations in con- 

 nection with the peculiarities of the insects I am here 

 treating of, and have felt compelled to change my opinion 

 and adopt pretty nearly that of Mr. Wollaston, viz., that 

 a separate family must be formed for Aglycyderes, and I 

 have no doubt that Proterhinus may be correctly placed 

 with it. The position of the family, however, is a point 

 of still greater difficulty. Mr. Wollaston suggested an 

 approximation to Anthrihidce, but Proterhinus tends 

 rather to diminish than increase this affinity. 



If Dr. Leconte's definition of the Rhyncophora as a 

 series, distinguished from all other Coleoptera by the 

 coalescence of " the posterior lateral portions of the head 

 and prothorax on the median line of the under surface of 

 the body so as to unite by a single suture " be accepted, 

 there can, I think, be little doubt that the AglycyderidcB 

 must enter that series. But in that case it must be con- 



