RHYNCHOPHORA, 107 
changing the names, and rendering the entomological literature of the 
last 80 years—so far as relates to these insects—useless, or worse than 
useless, some hundreds of synonyms beirg created by this apparently 
simple change. The 100 species at present called Apoderus are each 
and ‘all to become Attelabus ; the 100 species of Attelabus are each and 
all to become Cyphus; and the thirty species of Cyphus are to become 
Neocyphus Bedel. In addition to this the numerous genera and sub- 
genera of Apoderus and Attelabus described by Jekel will become a 
means of rendering the confusion more confounded ;” after a few more 
remarks Dr. Sharp adds, “I reject the change proposed by Bedel as 
being a source of the greatest confusion, and as offering no advantage 
whatever to compensate for this.” 
In classifying the various families it appears more satisfactory to 
adopt the character taken from the formation of the maxillary palpi 
(Bedel, 1. c. p. 3) than to lay too much stress upon the presence or 
absence of a rostrum, as in certain of the Platyrrhinide the rostrum is as 
little developed as in the Scolytide ; the character may be objected to as 
not being very evident, but it is easy to dissect out the mouth parts from 
the apex of the rostrum with a fine needle ground to an edge, in any of 
the Curculionide ; it must, however, be remembered that we know very 
little at present regarding the exotic allies of the Rhinomacerida, and that 
intermediate forms leading from Rhinomacer (which is one of the most 
interesting of the Rhynchophora) up to the Rhynchitide may very 
likely be discovered. 
In the present state of our knowledge and as far as the British fauna 
is concerned, the division of the families adopted by Bedel (1. ¢. p. 3) is 
perhaps as good as any that has been suggested ; the characters are in 
some measure the same as Thomson’s, but the latter author lays more 
stress on the relative length and mobility of the ventral segments; the 
Platypodide are, however, best regarded as a section of the Scolytide ; 
later on in his work (p. 315) Bedel adopts this arrangement; by several 
authors the Bruchide are included under the Rhynchophora, but their 
position has been before discussed (Vol. iv. p. 257). 
I. Maxillary palpi resembling those of the majority of the 
Coleoptera, not rigid; labrum distinct ; antenne straight. 
i, Anterior coxze globose, slightly exserted; pygidium 
bare ii ee tet aie elena onus | deestca . UAT YRREINGD At 
ii. Anterior coxe conical; pygidium covered . . . . RHINOMACERIDZ. 
II. Maxillary palpi rigid, short and conical, tapering to a 
point ; maxillss very broad ; labrum as a rule indistinct.* 
i. Rostrum always distinct, more or less elongate ; legs not 
fossorial ; anterior tibize (in our species) not denticulate 
GHISIOAUIK? > 32% QS GEES Rawal marlin nenietiae set teatete 
ii. Rostrum absent or rudimentary ; legs fossorial ; anterior 
tibia more or less strongly denticulate externally . , . ScoLyTip#, 
CURCULIONID®. 
* Bedel says of this section “labrum very rarely distinct, and in that case the legs 
fossorial ”’; in Attelabus, however, the question of the labrum seems doubtful. 
