430 Mr. T. Vernon Wollaston on the 



other^ through Alaocyba, Lipommata, and Stypliloderes, 

 with, the Cossonides proper, that it is well-nigh impossible 

 to doubt (despite their subfossorial habits, 6-jointed funi- 

 culus, quadriarticulate feet, obsolete tibial hook, and other 

 eccentricities) that the present family is their natural 

 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 

 the 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 which was adopted by him ; and if 

 there could have been any doubt that the Dry ophtlior 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 which, 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 wonderful genus Synommatus, from Borneo, 

 the distinctive peculiarities of which are so evenly 

 balanced between those of the Dryophthorides and Pentar- 

 thrides that it is by no means easy to decide into which of 

 the two subfamilies it should be received. 



There are six genera, however, of those hitherto pub- 

 lished, which I have not been able to procure for exami- 

 nation ; and these therefore (having convinced myself by 

 experience that recorded characters are seldom completely 

 to be trusted) I am compelled to leave in doubt, merely 

 placing their names between brackets (not altogether un- 

 accompanied by a few remarks, gleaned from their re- 

 spective diagnoses) in order to indicate the several positions 

 which it seems to me not unlikely that they will be found 

 to occup3 r . The genera to which I allude are as follows : 

 Lymantes (from North America), Aparoprion (from the 

 south of Europe), Oodemas (from Tahiti), Mimus (from 

 Southern Africa), Porthetes (likewise South- African), and 

 Proeces (from Madagascar). 



Of the twenty-nine groups acknowledged by Lacordaire, 

 I have rejected Phcenomerus, being satisfied that it is 

 not truly a member of the CossonidcB. Its general facies 

 and considerably developed prosternum bespeak, I cannot 

 but think, a much nearer relationship with the Sphadas- 



