﻿70 [August, 



elongated fusiform figure, the penultimate joint being much shorter 

 than the terminal one, and the latter narrowing to the apex ; the 

 terminal joint of the labial palpi is also fusiform and slightly truncated 

 at the apex. The elytra are truncated, as in all the allied genera. 



Dejean, and after him Lacordaire, has stated that the mentum in 

 Coptodera is provided with a large central tooth ; this is an error, 

 which was avoided by Schmidt- Gobel, who characterized the genus 

 anew before the appearance of Lacordaire's first volume of the 

 " Genera." In fact, the emargination of the mentum in the genus is 

 simple, as I have convinced myself by the dissection of seven species. 

 An error of this kind throws an unpleasant uncertainty on all charac- 

 ters drawn from hidden parts of the mouth of the smaller genera of 

 Geodepliaga, as given in the chief works on this great group. A charac- 

 ter, which has been overlooked by all authors, is the structure of the 

 anterior tarsi in the males ; these are slightly dilated and furnished 

 beneath with double rows of scales, precisely as in the great groups 

 AnchomemncB and Feroniancs. This character is interesting, as it aids 

 us, in conjunction with others, in judging of the true affinities of the 

 group. In fact, I think there can be no doubt that the JPericalince 

 (together with the greater part of the Lebianas) are closely allied to the 

 Anchomenince ; the discovery of genera exactly intermediate be- 

 tween the two groups, one of which is described in this paper, 

 completing the evidence. The form of the ligula and its para- 

 glossse, given as one of the principal characters of the Pericalince, 

 varies a good deal in allied species ; but all agree in possessing broad, 

 thin, and elongated paraglossse and a narrow ligula ; the paraglossse 

 attached to the apex of the ligula and surpassing it in length. The 

 variations consist in the extent to which they surpass the ligula; in 

 one species, G. polygona, they are, as in the genus Eurycoleus, but very 

 little longer ; in others, they are much longer, and tend more or less to 

 curve inwards, and embrace the tip of the ligula. I do not think that 

 these modifications are at all of generic value, as hastily assumed by 

 some authors. Before they are claimed as generic characters, the 

 mouth of every species in a genus should be examined ; and this being 

 practically almost impossible, such characters should be used with 

 great caution. 



The following genera form part of the group Pericalince ; in all, 

 as far as I know, the males have squamous soles to the anterior tarsi ; 

 and in Catascopus the first joint of the middle tarsi is also sometimes 

 squamous. The male of the fine Catascopus cupripennis has the breast 

 in the middle, and anterior thighs, densely hairy, as in many male Agree. 



