of the less-hioivn f/rmip.'i of Lamcllicom Coleoptcra. 481 



Oncerini. It is strange tliat the actual location of the 

 abdominal spiracles in the Glapliyrinae appears never to 

 have been really observed, for it is of a unique type which 

 contradicts all the suggested affinities of the insects in 

 question. The abdomen is bulky, and the propygidium 

 forms with the penultimate ventral segment a complete 

 horny ring, in the dorsal part of which a spii'acle is placed ; 

 but this spiracle is not the last, for, quite contrary to rule, 

 another is found on each side of the Inst dorsal segment 

 near, but a little distant from, the anterior angle. This 

 curious fact appears to me to indicate that this tergite 

 is not the homologue of the pygidium of all other Lamel- 

 lieoo'nia, but rather of, the penultimate tergite, for the 

 spiracle is not an additional one, the total number being 

 the normal one of six. According to Lacordaire, the 

 Ldmellicornia possess seven abdominal spiracles, but the 

 first of these is found in the membrane connecting the 

 abdomen and metathorax, and is almost always different 

 from, and not placed in line with, the other six. I there- 

 fore prefer to consider that as a metathoracic spiracle and 

 to count six as belonging to the abdominal segments. 

 Of these the pygidial spiracle of the Glcqjhyi-inac forms 

 the sixth, the preceding one is situated in the dorsal part of 

 the penultimate segment, and the four anterior ones I have 

 found in Amphicoma vulpes in the membrane connecting 

 dorsal and ventral plates, and in Amphicoma pnpaveris in 

 the dorsal plates themselves. As these two species are 

 undoubtedly very nearly related the difference is evidently 

 here of little significance. The position of the last two 

 spiracles and their complete exposure indicate that the 

 Gla'phyrinae have a nearer relationship to the Pleurosticts 

 than to the Laparosticts, but the remarkable peculiarity 

 described places them in a very isolated position. 



The Oncerini, associated with the above group by 

 Leconte and Horn, consist of three or four minute species, 

 of which Chnavnanthus is the principal genus, and the 

 only one of the three described which is known to me. 

 This was placed by Lacordaire among the Melolonthinae 

 together with the European Chasmatoj^terus, and I can 

 discover no reason at all for Leconte and Horn's view. 

 The abdomen is of the normal Pleurostict type, although 

 the ventral segments, except the last, are completely 

 consolidated. The spiracles are very difficult to see 

 owing to their very small size, but by microscopica. 



