BRUCHUS. INSECTS. 297 



in medicine for a long period as a useful vesicatory. This virtue, however, is not 

 confined to the species generally used, but extends in various degrees to the connect- 

 ed genera. The Chinese employ a species of Mylabris, and it appears from Diosco- 

 rides that the Cantharides of the ancients was an insect of the same genus. The same 

 effect is said to be produced by the hairs of some Phalenae. 



C. vesicatoria, Lat. Shining golden green ; antennae black ; head 

 broad, with a furrow on the top. 6 to 10 lines long. Inhabits 

 Europe Shaw, vi. pi. 37- 



SECTION III. TETRAMERA. 

 All the tarsi with four joints. 



The insects of this division all feed on vegetable substances. The larvae have gene- 

 rally short feet, but in a great number only mammillary projections. The perfect in- 

 sect is found on flowers or the leaves of plants. Latreille divides this section into 

 seven families. 



FAMILY I. RHYNCHOPHORA, (Curculionites* Dej.) 

 Head prolonged anteriorly in the form of a rostrum or beak, 

 with the mouth terminal, or into a proboscis or trunk ; anten- 

 nae in the greater number claviform, geniculate, and inserted on 

 the proboscis ; abdomen large; penult joint of the tarsi almost 

 always bilobed. 



All the insects of this family are phytivorous. They form two divisions. 



I. Antennas straight and not geniculate, and among those are 

 found some heteromerous insects ; labrum and palpi, or at 

 least the maxillary ones, very apparent ; rostrum short or 

 slightly elongated, flattened, widened, and rounded at the 

 end. 



TRIBE I. BRUCHEL.E. 



Antennae filiform or gradually thickening towards the end ; ser- 

 rated or pectinated, with the joints as broad or broader than 

 long ; labrum occupying the breadth of the anterior margin 

 of the head; eyes oblong, transverse, generally lunate; pos- 

 terior legs long ; third joint of the tarsi distinct ; thorax lobed 

 posteriorly ; abdomen large. 



A. Posterior feet with very robust thighs ; legs almost linear, terminated in a strong 

 point, bent and applied in contraction on the anterior side of the thighs. 



Gen. PACHYMERUS. 



Some species of this genus have a broad and almost semicircular thorax, with the 

 lateral borders rounded or arched. In others it is narrowed before, almost triangu- 

 lar, or like a truncated cone. In some the antennas are flabelliform ; in others semi- 

 pectinated, or serrated, 



B. Posterior feet with the thighs of medium size ; legs triangular, widened towards 

 the extremity, almost straight 



Gen. BRUCHUS. 



The form of the thorax in this genus varies as much as in the preceding. The 

 species in which it occurs narrowed before and almost triangular, form the genus 

 Caryedon of Steven and Schcenherr. 



Gen. BRUCHUS, Lin. Lat. Mylabris, Geoff. 

 Head distinct, depressed and inclined ; two membranous folded 

 wings ; elytra a little shorter than the abdomen ; antennas 



