Introduction 



on plants. They are nearly all small beetles, usually 

 convex, and sometimes almost spherical ; many have, 

 by means of the strongly developed muscles of the 

 femora (thighs) of their hind legs, the power of leaping 

 long distances, and among these are many beetles 

 such as the " turnip flea," highly injurious to growing 

 crops. Their antennae are moniliform, that is, like 

 a series of minute beads strung on a string. One is 

 represented on Plate B., Fig. 6. 



The seventh group called Heteromera is another 

 collection of species differing much morphologically. 

 One character unites the group, that is, that while 

 the front and middle tarsi have five joints each, the 

 hinder tarsi have only four. One of them is represented 

 on Plate B., Fig. 9. 



The eighth and last group, Rhy nc hophora, or " weevils/' 

 may easily be known by the prolongation of the front 

 of the head into a longer or shorter beak or snout, 

 their antennas are angled or elbowed, and clubbed, with 

 the first joint very long, they are slow in movement, 

 and all their tarsi apparently four-jointed. The whole 

 group are either plant or wood feeders. Examples 

 are shown on Plate V., Figs. 12 and 17. 



Since the metric system is now almost universally used in 

 Biology for the expression of measurement, I have ventured to 

 adopt that system in the descriptions which follow. MM. will 

 therefore denote one millimetre, which = '03937 inch. 



