464 GENERAL REFLECTIONS ON 



Chilognathiform tribe for that of Apod or Vermiform larva?. 

 To this belong the Linnaean genera Bruchus, Ciirculio, 

 Jttelabus, Cerambyx, Leptura, Necydalis, and part of 

 Dermestes, and Tenebrio. With the help of Donatio., so 

 nearly allied to Leptura, we quit this tribe for that of Ano- 

 pluriform larvae, where we find the Linnaean genera Chry- 

 somela, Cryptocephalus, Coccinella, Cassida and Hispa. 

 These last lead us into the tribe of Thysanuriform larvae, 

 where we have Meloe, Mordella, with many Heteromera* 

 of Latreille, and perhaps Clerus. I suspect also that some 



* I have lately come to the knowledge of the larva of the Xylita bupres- 

 toides of Paykull, the Elaler Buprestoides of Fabiicius, which ought not to 

 be confounded with the genus Serropalpus of Hellenius. The Xylita be- 

 longs to the group of Thysanuriform larvae, although not central, but ap- 

 proximating to the luliform larvsc, which are opposite. This is a proof of 

 the acuteness of my friend M. Latreille. Although the affinity is not so 

 close as to be readily remarked, he has said of the Melandryad<s, " Ces He- 

 ternmeres serapprucheni des Cantharis et des Meloe de Linnaeus.'' As Thysa- 

 nuriform larvae are but little known, and as no confusion -was ever greater 

 than that which affects the genera Serropalpus, Melandrya, Dirccea, Or- 

 chesia, MyUax.s, Xylita and Hypulus, it may be of service to describe this 

 larva. I shall merely premise that I have had no opportunity of dissecting 

 it. Larva whitish, elongate, scaly, with few hairs, except about the last 

 segment of the abdomen ; body thickest at the middle and tail, upper side 

 rather convex, under concave. Head semiglobular, with vestige of eyes. 

 Antenna; triarticulate, short, with the first joints greatest. Mandibles shoit, 

 strong and sharp. Maxillary Palpi acute at point, and labial excessively 

 minute. Second segment of the body large, subthoraeifurm, and composed 

 apparently of two segments. Anteriorfeet large, compressed, hooked, ex- 

 tending nearly to the top of the head; the two posterior pairs of the same 

 shape, but so short as scarcely to reach beyond the coxa of the first pair, 

 besides being in some measure hid in the concavity of the body. The third 

 segment of the body is shortest, and the others lengthen gradually to the 

 12th, which is convex, and marked with strongly impressed points. But 

 the singular part of the body is the tail, or 13th segment, at the base of 

 which is the anal aperture. This segment is slightly convex above, and 

 flatfish below, but armed at the extremity with two sharp horny appen- 

 dages, curved upwards. In colour and appearance, this forked process re- 

 sembles the caudal appendage of certain Fotficulde. 1 am indebted for a 

 knowledge of this larva to Mr. Samouelle, a gentleman as well versed in in- 

 sects, as he is assiduous as a collector. He found it with the perfect insect 

 in the solid wood of an old oak in Hampshire, and thus at the same mo- 

 ment added a new genus to the British Fauna, and an important fact to 

 entomological science. M. Waudouer has found several of the same species 

 at Nantes, in the same situation. It has little connexion with Elater, except 

 by that property which opposite points of a circular group have of ap- 

 proaching each other in affinity. 



