Brachyrrkimaec.] RHTNCHOPHORA. 171 



were the authors who called more particular attention to the importance 

 of the character presented by the^e false mandibles (although it had of 

 course been noticed long before by various Avriters), their remarks on 

 the subject may with advantage be quoted : 



" In the early life of the imago these pieces are lost, and the place of 

 their attachment is indicated by a scar, which is usually on the face of 

 the mandible, but frequently borne at the tip of a process of varying 

 length. The form of the mandible itself, without reference to the scar, 

 indie ites the occurrence of the deciduous piece. When the mandibles 

 are acute at tip and one overlaps the other by an edge more or less acute, 

 no deciduous piece will be found. Its occurrence may generally be 

 expected in those in which the mandibles meet with a broad surface and 

 whose function is rather that of crushing than cutting." 



The larvae do not cull for any particular remark, but in some cases are more elon- 

 gate than is usually the rule with the Rhynchophora, and are furnished with outstand- 

 ing hairs; they undergo their transformations underground, and the use of the false 

 mandibles is obviously to allow them to work their way through their surroundings 

 on their emergence from the pupa state : when once they have emerged they shed 

 them as they have no further use fr them, their habits being, as stated above, to 

 crush rather than cut the leave*, etc., that form their food. 



The sub-family has been very differently constituted by various 

 authors, and the student who wishes to examine further into the subject 

 is referred to the works of Thomson (especially Skandinaviens Cole- 

 optera, vol. x. pp. 161, et seqq.), Leconte and Horn, &c., as well as to the 

 older works of Schonherr and others : M. Bedel divides them into eight 

 tribes which are here adopted ; the old names are, however, in two or 

 three cases retained in preference to those he has made use of ; there 

 seems, for example, no reason in forming a new name " Synirmini " 

 to include Tropiphorus Schonherr, because a genus of Saurians whose 

 name requires priority is called Tropidophonu ; it is, however, be*t to 

 adopt a new name for the sub-famiJy as it includes in great measure 

 both the BrachyderitJse and the Otiorrhynchidaj of older authors. 



I. Side pieces of the mesosternnm very unequal, the episterna 

 directly attaining and for some distance extending along the 



margin of elytra, the cpimera small or very small. 

 i. Scrobes short, superior, rarely lateral, and then directed 



towards the eyes ; club of antennae with the second joint 



shorter than the first OTIOEBHTSCHIXA, 



ii. Scrobes lateral and directed iuferiorly ; club of antennae 



with the second joint about equal to the first BEACHTDEKINA. 



II. Side pieces of the mesosternuin divided diagonally and 

 nearly equal, the epistema not reaching the elytra, except 



in a point at extreme base where they join the epimera. 

 i. Tars;tl claws connate. 



1. Prostemum slightly emarginate at apex and furnished 

 with short hairs at the sides of the emargination ; 

 central dorsal line of thorax finely keeled from base to 



apex ; eyes very Hat, almond shaped TEOPIPHOBIXA. 



2. IVosteruum not emarginate at apex ; eyes convex. 



A. Elytra more or less elongate with the shoulders 



