Mr. H. W. Bates on the Endomychidse of the Amazon Valley. 159 



an account of the Amazonian species of the family Endomychidae, 

 beginning with the genus Corynomalus ; and here the task becomes 

 an easy one, as one of the best of the many admirable monographs 

 published of late years has been given on this subject by Dr. 

 Gerstaecker so lately as the year 1858. In this work the previous 

 literature has been so thoroughly and conscientiously worked up 

 that we may with safety take it as a starting-point, and dispense 

 with research into works anterior to its date ; whilst the precision 

 of the generic and specific descriptions renders it a pleasant labour to 

 ascertain and supplement the newly discovered forms. 



Dr. Gerstaecker in his introduction gives an elaborate review 

 of the generalities relating to the family, — the whole structure 

 internal and external, the position and affinities and the geographical 

 distribution. But in the part of his subject relating to the habits 

 and earlier states of the insects he had little to say, in consequence 

 of the almost total want of information regarding the exotic species. 

 It gives me great pleasure therefore to be able to contribute a little 

 towards completing those portions of their history by describing the 

 larvae of two of the neo-tropical genera, Corynomalus and Stenotarsus. 

 Of the former I bred two species, C. disco ideas and C. subcordatus, but 

 as they offered no material difference, I will describe the larva (and 

 the pupa) of the former only. 



The larva of C. discoideus (PI. XI. fig. 5) is oval and convex, fleshy 

 beneath, but above having a hard granular integument, sprinkled 

 with minute scales ; the margins of the thorax and abdomen dilated 

 and flattened. The colour above is sooty-black with the margins 

 fulvous ; there is a double dorsal series of transverse, oval, velvety- 

 black spots, around which the minute pale scales are arranged, 

 similar scales forming also pale transverse lines on the margins. 

 The mandibles (fig. 5 b) are simply but obtusely pointed, the palpi 

 (fig. 5 c, d) taper to a point, the maxillary consisting of three joints ; 

 the blade of the maxilla is narrow, obtusely pointed, curved inwards 

 near the tip, and on the outside of the curved part near the tip, 

 ciliated. The antennas (fig. 5 a) are elongate, cylindric, formed ap- 

 parently of three joints, two basal, minute (the second perhaps only 

 apparent, or separated by a constriction), and the third very long. 

 There are four ocelli on each side of the head, viz. three in a triangle 

 above and one below the insertion of the antennas. The tarsi have 

 one joint and a simple claw. The first thoracic segment is broadly 

 but not deeply rounded- emarginate in front. The pupa is beset with 

 horny and fleshy tubercles ; there is a pair of long horny ones in 

 the middle of the hind margin of each thoracic segment, and a 



