[Hrur.hida>. 



analogy with the Bruchidae ;" tlie genus Urodon has always 

 associated with the Bruchidae, and in great measure owing to this the 

 family has been connected with the Anthribidae ; M. Bedel has, however, 

 shown that by the structure of the under side of the head and thorax 

 the genus is really Anthribide, whereas the Bruchidoe have rather the 

 structure of the Phytophaga. It must, however, be allowed that, as a 

 matter of fact, the family is not very closely allied to any other group, 

 but appears to come closer to the Sagrina than to any other members 

 of the Coleoptera ; it is therefore best placed at the beginning of the 

 Phytophagous series in immediate proximity to the last-mentioned 

 tribe. 



The following are the chief characters of the Bruchidse : Head free, 

 produced in front, but with no distinct rostrum, mentum supported by 

 a peduncle, neck usually constricted, antennae 11-jointed, not clavate, 

 but often serrate or pectinate, and more or less thickened towards apex ; 

 eyes emarginate ; maxillae exposed at base, bilobed, with 4-jointed palpi ; 

 thorax margined at the sides, the margins being sometimes obsolete, 

 variable in shape ; anterior coxae conical and oblique, contiguous at 

 apex, posterior coxae large, laminate, contiguous or slightly distant, 

 reaching the margin of elytra ; mesosternum short, separating the middle 

 coxae, which are oval ; elytra entire or truncate, pygidium always ex- 

 posed ; abdomen with five free ventral segments, of which the first is 

 the longest; posterior femora more or less thickened; tarsi with the 

 first joint elongate, the third bilobed, and the fourth very small and 

 closely united with fifth ; claws toothed at base. 



The larvae of the Bruchidae are soft white fleshy grubs with a scaly head and 

 strong short jaws, with the legs obsolete or very short ; that of S. rvfivornis is 

 figured by Westwood (Classification, vol. i. p. 324, fig. 40, 7); they are exceedingly 

 destructive to leguminous seeds, especially benns and peas, and in tropical climates 

 do great damage to the grains of the Qleditzia, Mimosa, Acacia, Theobroma, and 

 other plants ; some species also appear to attack cocoa-nuts and palm -nuts ; in our 

 country the attack of species of Bruchus is sometimes very serious to the pea and 

 bean crop ; the beetles appear to lay their eggs in the peas and beans while yet in 

 the pod and soft ; the larvae when hatched devour the inner surface of the seed, but 

 have the curious instinct to leave the germ untouched ; the seed therefore will 

 sprout and grow, but, as has lately been proved by Mr. Theodore Wood in a series of 

 experiments, the plants are either sickly and bear scarcely any pods, or the pods are 

 almost barren ; the larvae change to the pupal state inside the seeds, and usually 

 remain in this condition through the winter, appearing in spring as perfect beetles ; 

 remedies against the pest are hard to suggest, imd the best that can be suggested is 

 to buy the seed from well-known growers, and carefully avoid "cheap seed," which 

 in all cases, but especially in that of peas and beans, will inevitably be found the 

 dearest in the long run. Miss Ormerod (Manual of Injurious Insects, p. 11) suggests 

 the adoption of one remedy practised in the Colonies for the destruction of weevils 

 in rice by exhausting the air; a quantity of rice is put in a tank with a lighted 

 candle or lamp set on the surface, and the tank is then hermetically sealed ; on the 

 tank being opened some hours afterwards, a large number of beetles will be found to 

 have been killed. 



In th Munich catalogue published in 1873 five genera and four 



