Genera of the Cossonidce. 545 



and of a deep black), and that a considerable reduction iii 

 the length of the scape is indicated (though to a less 

 extent) in Himatium, I feel satisfied that the position in 

 which I have placed it is a far more natural one than 

 amongst the (more or less asperated, posteriorly-obtuse) 

 types bordering on the Hylastidce. In addition to the 

 characteristics above mentioned, Brachyscapus has its 

 scutellum a good deal enlarged, and its under-wings 

 considerably developed. 



50. PHLQEOPHAGOSOMA (Wollaston, Trans. Ent. Soc. 

 Lond. 23. 1873). The present genus is perhaps, on the 

 whole, somewhat less satisfactorily defined than most of 

 the others ; and I think it is far from unlikely that it may 

 be found eventually to include more than a single type of 

 form; yet, being unwilling to multiply genera unneces- 

 sarily, I have thought it better to treat it as admitting a 

 rather wider amount of structural variation than would 

 seem to be indicated in the neighbouring groups ; and we 

 may possibly therefore regard it, in this particular respect, 

 as somewhat analogous to Cossonus. It was established 

 by myself, originally, to receive two slightly discordant 

 species which had been collected by Mr. Gr. Lewis in the 

 Japanese archipelago ; and, if I am correct as regards the 

 material now before me, I might define it as embracing a 

 number of insects, sometimes a good deal differing from 

 each other, which have a wide inter-tropical range, and 

 which would seem, to at all events a certain extent, to 

 represent the Phl&ophagi and Rhyncoli of European lati- 

 tudes. Indeed a considerable proportion of them have, I 

 think, done duty for the former, and are consequently still 

 cited as such in the various catalogues ; but nevertheless 

 they cannot, strictly speaking, be associated with the 

 Phlceophagi, any more than they can with the Rhyncoli, 

 as interpreted by the structural features of the respective 

 (and universally-acknowledged) types of those two groups. 

 Thus, whatever be their discrepancies inter se, they recede 

 essentially from Phlceophagus in having a largely developed 

 scutellum, a comparatively elongate metasternum and pro- 

 thorax, and in the second joint of their funiculus, and the 

 basal one of their feet, being conspicuously more abbre- 

 viated. Moreover they are, on the average, much larger, 

 less ovate, and less convex, their rostrum is proportionately 

 more lengthened, and their four anterior coxae are wider 

 apart. 



