THE CURCULIONID^. 307 



central strangulation of Hyphantus ; the tabular flat- 

 ness of Homalonotus ; the spinose and tuberculatecl 

 backs of many Hipporhini and Amycteri, and the very 

 obtuse snouts of the latter ; as also the gibbous forms 

 of Byrsops ; the thickened antennse of Ulocerus and 

 Episus ; the remarkably slender antennae of a small 

 new genus from Van Diemen's Land^ in which these 

 organs are longer than the body ; and Eurhamphus, 

 one of the largest of this group, which has its body 

 covered with scattered tufts of erect brown and white 

 hair, — all offer striking instances. Being chiefly phy- 

 tophagous insects, — for Brachycerus, and some few 

 others, form remarkable exceptions— they are, of course, 

 the natives of all countries ; and the more luxuriant 

 vegetation becomes, the greater is their population, 

 which is strongly confirmed by their abundance in 

 the Brazils. It is chiefly from the aberrant portions 

 of this large group, that we trace their more direct 

 affinities; thus, by means of R/iinomacer, we have 

 a passage marked towards Mycterus and Salpingus, 

 in the heteromerous division of our Malacodermata, 

 and through Rhinotia to Lycus, in its pentamerous 

 division. In Bruchus, they direct, by their flabellated 

 antennse, to the Lamellicornes, and by their enlarged 

 posterior thighs to Sagra, in the monilicorn circle; 

 but it is by Mecocerus and Ptychoderes, among the 

 Anthribides , that we have the most evident affinitv 

 indicated with the normal Capricornes. Here, also, in 

 the broad short snout of Euparius, Plafyrhinus, and 

 Lagopezus, we have an affinity shown with the ScolytidcE^ 

 in the circle of the Bostrichidce, which is further con- 

 firmed in a different part, namely, to Anohiurn, &c., by 

 the serrated clava of Arcecerus. If we may venture an 

 analogy with the Predatores, we have it hinted at in the 

 lengthened neck of Apoderus, which much resembles 

 Casnonia; whence Linnaeus mistook one of the latter 

 for an Attelahus, with which he considered Apoderus as 

 congenerical. [(273, 274.) W. E. Sh.] 



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