263 
identity with Stephanoderes areccw, Horimiig (since confirmed by 
Fauvelj, points out that the number of joints in the funiculus required 
by his genus Stephanoderes is five. According to Le Conte H.kispiduhis, 
perhaps a form of H. eruditus, has but one division in the outer part of 
the funiculus, which agrees with Westwood's statement. In a Nevis 
specimen I have found two divisions, so that the funiculus is four- 
jointed. It is probable, as Le Gonte points out, that the number of 
joints is of no value as a generic character for Hypothenemus ; but it will 
be remarkable if it is found to vary within the limits of a single species. 
The other point concerns the position of the head with regard to the 
prothorax. Le Conte hesitates to identify two American Hypothenemi 
with species of Stephanoderes described by Eichhoff on account of 
the head not being retracted into the prothorax as required by the 
description of the latter genus. But this, whether good or bad, depends 
on other characters than the position of the head, which merely serves 
as a point of departure between those Tomicini, such as Aphanarthrum, 
in which a rostellum is present, and the majority in which it is absent. 
The position of the head depends very much on the way the specimens 
are killed and mounted; it is prominent in those preserved in alchohoi. 
Schwarz (Bull. Brook. Ent. Soc, vir, p. 84,) says of H. eruditus: "Not 
rarely specimens occur in which the head is protruded and thus appar- 
ently not covered by the prothorax. Upon such specimens Mr. Eich- 
hoff seems to have established his genus Stephanoderes." This is a 
misunderstanding, and indeed a reversal of Eichhoff ? s position. 
R. eruditus attacks the youngest cane-leaves while they are still 
rolled in a spike, perforating them transversely, so that the leaves 
when unrolled show a series of holes which form parts of a single 
burrow. Two or three specimens exhibit nothing but these transverse 
burrows. In two others a rib has been reached, and its contents exca- 
vated so as to form an irregular chamber, in one case five-eighths of 
an inch, in the other 1 inch long. The chambers contained one or two 
beetles and several nearly full-grown larvae, which lay in the main 
excavation like those of Xylebori and did not construct separate bur- 
rows. They may however have enlarged the cavity, the walls of which 
were irregular and ragged. There were no holes communicating with 
the outside except the entrance hole, nor any sign of the immature 
beetles having tunneled the leaf-tissues. 
The attacked leaves showed no signs of injury beyond that due to 
the beetles, they were not dry or shriveled, and I do not doubt that 
Mr. Barber would have noticed any abnormal condition preceding the 
attack. Bound the holes the tissues are brown and discolored, partic- 
ularly near the brood-chambers, which hollow out the ribs so as to 
seriously interfere with, if not to destroy, the nutrition of the parts 
beyond the point of attack. 
No details have been sent about the circumstances of this infesta- 
tion which would enable proper treatment to be suggested. It is pos- 
