172 Mr. 13. F. Ciininuiig-; on the T/iora.v in 



sonic inleicst, inasmuch as it affords us with an example — I 

 iiua^ine, rare in the Insecta — of the attachment of the coxfe to 

 liie n argin of the dorsal or notal surface. Tlie coxre, roughly 

 cu)i-shaped, are applied by their concave surfaces to the 

 ventro-lateral regimi of the thorax on each side. The lower 

 (or inner) half of the edge of each cup is attached to the 

 sternal surface, while the upper (or outer) half reaches to tlie 

 depressed margin of tiie notum, which on each side has a 

 clearly marked rim, and is usually strengthened by a dark 

 longitudinal bar connecting iip each trans-verse rafter. Just 

 where the upper half of each coxal cuj) establishes a point of 

 contact with the notal rim the chitin of the latter becomes 

 thickened, and often runs out into a dark depressed pro- 

 montory or jetty — one for each coxa. A raiter runs iu from 

 each jetty. 



It is unnecessary to summarize here the form and course 

 of these exoskeletal rafters ; suffice it to say that, with the 

 exception of the meso-metanotal one in many Hiematopini 

 for example, they rarely run right across the upper suiface, 

 but disappear before halfway into the thinner chitin of the 

 middle area. 



I believe I have discovered in Ilcematnpinus asini a pair of 

 clavicles within the prothorax, very mucli as they occur in 

 some Mallophaga ; while in many, if not all, llrematopiiii 

 there is present in the midtlle of the metanotal region a 

 .'structure of some interest, not hiiherto described. It shows 

 on the surface as a small circular depression, but in specimens 

 passed through caustic potash the depression is seen to be the 

 mouth of a small chitinous funnel, which does not descend 

 into the thorax perpendicularly, but is directed backwards as 

 well as downwards, so as to lie beneatii, and in many cases 

 to project behind, the posterior margin of the metanotum. 

 The funnel is graduated, and ends blindly in a point, like a 

 dunce's cap. It should be regarded presumably as a thoracic 

 apodeme for the attachment of muscles, and a more careful 

 examination of it by the method of sections might produce 

 results of interest. In one form or another all tiie members 

 of the genus II(einutoj>iiius, I believe, possess this funnel, and 

 it occurs also in Atitantu/Jit/iirus or/morhinij End., and m a 

 less funnel-shaped condition iu A, Irichtci (Boh.), and 

 Fediculus cap'nis, De Geer, 



Thorax in 2^esiotinus (Mallophaga). 



The much more complicated thorax of the Mallophaga 

 jircbcnts a very interesting study in comparative anatomy; 



