188 Descriptions of neiv Ceylon Coleoptera. [no. new series, 
of these organs in the family of the Scydm^nidje, a fact, although 
incomplete, of more importance than either of the former consider- 
ing the extent of the family and the difference of opinion which ap- 
pears to exist on the subject amongst the most eminent entomolo- 
gical authorities. It is this importance which induces me to enter 
more fully on the subject. 
I am not acquainted with the famous monograph of the family of 
the ScYDM-SNiDJE by Dr. Schaum ; however, from the manner in 
which it is quoted by LacordaJre in his g. d. Col. — I should infer 
that these two celebrated authors agree in all the vital points. In 
Lacordaire's diagnosis of the family thiese insects are described as 
having (with the exception of the American g. Braihinus, of 
which Lacordaire is not quite sure that it belongs to the fa- 
mily) the elytra soldered together and being destitute of wings. 
Now, although it is scarcely credible that on a point so easily 
ascertained as this, any difference of opinion should exist, still 
AVestwood in his Modern Classification of Insects, in describ- 
ing the same family makes statements which imply the contrary. 
However, Lacordaire's description being fifteen years earlier, in 
fact the most recent book on the subject, is from this reason alone 
entitled to be considered before all others, and looking upon it in 
this light, that is as the essence of all former observations, I shall 
for the present occupy myself with it alone. According to this 
description, as mentioned above, the insects referred to, have the 
elytra soldered together and are destitute of wings. This being the 
case, I was startled to find that out of the 13 species described be- 
low, 9 or 10 which I examined in this respect, had neither the elytra 
soldered nor were they destitute of wings — on the contrary the elytra 
were unconnected in the middle and the wings were nearly double 
the size of the whole insect and could not possibly he overlooked. I 
would willingly suppose that the 100 species of this family con- 
tained in European collections, and principally derived from 
Europe and N. America, agreed with Lacordaire's description and 
that the Ceylon species formed exceptions to the general rule, were 
it not that Westwood's observation alluded to above corroborates 
my own and renders me suspicious that some unaccountable mistake 
or oversight may have occurred. That this mistake cannot consist in 
