16 Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. VI. 



the members of the family present in the Indian Museum Collections 

 and in drawing up the following notes on the Bostrichidse oi the Indian 

 Region adding, where possible, any fresh information upon the life- 

 histories ; distribution, etc., that research and personal observations 

 have brought to light and noting whether the species are represented in 

 the Indian Museum collections or not. The family is of some eco- 

 nomic importance, since it contains the well-known bamboo-borers 

 which are widely distributed throughout the Indian Region. 



The identification and separation of the species in the Bostri- 

 chidse presents great difficulties. The uncertain limitations of the 

 genera and the great scattering of original descriptions, often incom- 

 plete, has led to much confusion. 



Mr. Lesne is entirely revising the classification of the whole 

 group, and his revision has been followed in this paper. In the 

 preparation of his valuable memoir, the distinguished scientist has had 

 the advantage of consulting the materials contained in the collections 

 of the Natural History Museums at Paris, Stockholm, and Brussels 

 and the collections of MM. Leon, Faimaire, Rene Oberthiir and 

 Louis Bedel. Many other entomologists have also contributed notes 

 and given every assistance. That the result is worthy of the Author 

 a study of the memoir will at once make evident. 



A perusal of the work has demonstrated the fact that this 

 family is a little known one and has been but sliglitly collected in 

 the Indian Region. Some 40 odd species in all represent the total 

 at present known and the information about them is of the meagrest. 

 There can hardly be any doubt, I think, that there are numbers of 

 forms at present unknown to science scattered throughout the region. 

 Mr. Lesne divides the Bostrichidse into the following four tribes, 

 of which the first two are included in his Bostrichidse procephalse, the 

 last two in the Bostrichidse hypocephalse. 



TABLEAU DES TRIBUS. 

 I—Tete ins£ree a la face anterieure du prothorax, completment 

 visible en dessus. Pronotum legerement convexe, inerme 

 en avant . . . Bostrichidse procephalse. 2. 



1* Tete inseree a la face inferieure du prothorax, invisible en 



dessus. Pronotum tres convexe, herisse de denticules en 

 avant . . . Bostrichidse hypocephalse. j. 



2— Hanches anterieures non separees par le prosternum. Inter- 

 maxillaires 1 atropine. Eperons terminaux internes des 

 tibias anterieurs droits, egaux ou peu dissemblables. Colo- 

 ration en partie metallique . . . Tribu Psoinse 

 1 The intermaxillary of the jaws is here alluded to. 



