430 Mr. T. Ycrnon Wollaston on the 
other, tlirongli Alaocyha, Lipommata, and Styphloderes, 
Avith the Cossonides proper, that it is well-uigh impossible 
to doubt (despite their subfossorial habits, 6-jointed funi- 
cuhis, quadriarticidate feet, obsolete tibial hook, and other 
eccentriciticsj that the present family is their natm-al 
location. 
Although dissenting from the views of Lacordaire, in 
recognizing no particular department which is characterized 
par excellence, like his Lymantides, by the shortness of 
tlie metasternum (for there is scarcely a single item of the 
structure which varies more, according to the exact genus, 
and sometimes even according to the species, than the 
latter), I have nevertheless not departed greatly from the 
method of arrangement Avhich was adopted by him ; and if 
there coidd have been any doubt that the Dry ophthor ides 
constitute an integral portion of the family, it would be 
completely dispelled by the existence of such links as 
Chcerorrhinus and Pentacoptus (the former of Avhich, in- 
deed, although, like the latter, manifestly Pentarthrideous, 
has actually been cited hitherto, through an unpardonable 
error in its original diagnosis, as a Dryophthorid) and still 
more by that Avonderful genus Synomniatus, from Borneo, 
— the distinctive peculiarities of Avhich are so evenly 
balanced between those of the Dryophthorides and Pentar- 
thrides that it is by no means easy to decide into Avhich of 
the two subfamilies it should be received. 
There are six genera, hoAvever, of those hitherto pub- 
lished, Avhicli I have not been able to procure for exami- 
nation ; and these therefore (having couA'inced myself by 
ex]ierience that recorded characters are seldom completely 
to be trusted) I am compelled to leave in doubt, — merely 
placing their names betAveen brackets (not altogether un- 
accom])anied by a few remarks, gleaned from their re- 
sjiectivc diagnoses) in order to indicate the several positions 
Avhich it seems to me not unlikely that they Avill be found 
to occu])y. The genera to Avhich I allude are as folloAvs : — 
Lymantcs (from North America), Aparoprion (from the 
south of Europe), Oodemas (from Tahiti), Mimus (from 
Southern Africa), Porthetes (likewise South- African), and 
P/'oeces (fi'ora Madagascar). 
Of the twenty-nine groups acknoAvledged by Lacordaire, 
I haA-e rejected Pliccnomerus, — being satisfied that it is 
not truly a member of the Cossonida:. Its general facies 
and considerably developed prostcrmmi bespeak, I cannot 
but think, a much nearer relationship A\'ith the Sphadas- 
