include them in the same genus; and, as it is remarkable in 

 its structure, and apparently will lead to a new combination 

 of certain groups, I shall lay before my readers the views that 

 naturalists have hitherto taken of the Byrrhidae. 



Linnaeus first described ^pilula' as a Dermestes, and after- 

 wards placed it in the genus Byrrhus with the Anthreni ; Fa- 

 bricius and Sturm (with some additions) arranged it between 

 Anisotoma (Agathidium, ///.) followed by Chelonarium (a 

 genus inhabiting St. Domingo and Java) and Anthrenus: 

 Latreille, in his Genera Crustaceorum, formed a family ' Byr- 

 rhii' containing Megatoma, Throscus, Anthrenus, Byrrhus, 

 Nosodendron, Chelonarium, Hister, Elmis, and Heterocerus. 

 In his Families Naturelles the Byrrhii follow the Dermestini, 

 in which are included the Megatomae; Throscus is placed 

 with the Elaterides ; Limnichus and Aspidiphorus are added, 

 and Elmis and Heterocerus follow in the next family, Hister 

 being entirely removed. 



From this sketch it is evident that the most learned ento- 

 mologists have been undecided respecting some of the affinities 

 of this group. The singular contraction of their legs led to 

 their being associated with Dermestes and Hister, but what- 

 ever relation they may have to the former, I cannot think it 

 possible that they can be allied to the latter genus. The 8th 

 joint of the antennae being smaller than the 7th in our genus, 

 shows an approach to Leiodes and Agathidium (as indicated 

 by Fabricius and Sturm), and I have reason to think there 

 exists at least an analogy between the Byrrhidae and Eumolps. 



Although Ooinorphus concolor has been twice figured and 

 thrice described, a most admirable specific character (the 

 orange colour of the eccentric 2nd joint of the antennae) has 

 never been detected. I took a single specimen many years 

 since in Norfolk ; it has been taken " in June at the base of the 

 cliffs between Dover and St. Margaret's Bay", and I found a 

 specimen near Southampton the end of last spring. Mr. F. 

 Walker finds it at Southgate in moss during the winter. 



The plant is Cheiranthus {Matthiola, Brown) sinuatus (Sea 

 Stock), drawn from a specimen found on the sand-hills near 

 St. Hilier in Jersey; it grows also at Barmouth and other 

 parts of Wales. 



