134 



INTRODUCTION. 



in this family. Their habits are to a great extent aquatic or sub- 

 aquatic, and in some cases (e. g. PrionocypTion ; very peculiar, the 

 larvae living in stagnant water in and about hollows of trees, etc. 



The larva of Ilelodes possesses only abdo- 

 minal spiracles and breathes by coming to 

 the surface of the water aud taking a 

 bubble of air down with it ; the larva of 

 Cyphon is remarkable for its long antennae, 

 short legs and ciliate sides of the body ; in 

 these respects it resembles that of Hydro- 

 cyphon, which is furnished with curious 

 retractile appendages at the end of the 

 last segment of the body. 



About 300 species are known, but 

 probably the family is very extensive, as 

 it has been greatly neglected ; it has most 

 likely a wide range in the Indian Region, 

 but only a few species have hitherto 

 been recorded ; among these are members of Ilelodes, Hydrocyphon 

 and Scirtes. 



Fig. 56. — Scirtes pictns. 



Family 58. EHIPICERID^. 



Rather large and consjricuous insects of very chareicteristic 

 appeeirance ; antennae inserted on the forehead well in front of the 

 eyes, usually flabellate, with the processes very long in the mcdes, 

 serrate in the females ; anter 'lor ecnel middle coxce conico-cylindrical, 

 prominent, the former with leirge trochantius, anterior pair con- 

 tiguous, intermediate pair separated ; elytra covering abdomen, 

 epipleurce extending to apex; tarsi Jive-jointed with the onychium 

 broad and hairy and extended between the claws. 



Nine genera and fifty-nine species are mentioned in the Munich 

 Catalogue, and not many have been described since. They are 

 widely distributed in both the Old and the New World, the genus 

 Callirhipis being represented in the Indian Region. 



The position of the family is somewhat difficult to determine, 

 but is apparently near the DascilliDjE. 



The perfect insects are found some on trees and some on low 

 plants, and some under leaves; the species of Sandalus, ac- 

 cording to Lecoute and Horn, affect various cedars. Not much 

 appears to be known about them, but Schiodte devotes a whole 

 part (xii) of his work ' De metamorphosi Eleutheratorum ' to the 

 description of the larva and pupa of one species, Callirhipis 

 dejeani. This larva is peculiarly cylindrical throughout, the last 

 apparent segment being as broad as the first and truncate ; both 

 the larva and pupa appear to be very long in proportion to th«- 

 perfect insect. 



