The name of Tritoma, which was so happily applied by 
Geoffroy to Mycetophagus k-punctatus, has been most egregi- 
ously employed by Fabricius to designate this genus of penta- 
merous insects. No one that I am aware of has ever observed 
that Tritoma has five distinct joints in all the tarsi ; for al- 
though the Anisotomidse are associated with the pentamerous 
insects in the cc Illustrations,” it is stated in the characters, 
that the tarsi of Tritoma are ^-jointed , and that the penultimate 
joint is bifid, 
Tritoma is one of those insects that closely resembles several 
genera belonging to groups placed very far from each other, 
which it would seem to unite; but on a more minute exami- 
nation it differs so considerably from all of them in structure, 
that its proper situation is rendered very uncertain. 
There may be objections to the tarsal system, and undoubt- 
edly many exceptions occur in it ; nevertheless, if it were well 
investigated, it might after all offer fewer difficulties than any 
other. It seems to me that amongst the Coleoptera there are 
4 distinct types: the 1st may be represented by Cicindela^ 
having an active Larva, which, as well as the Imago, is carni- 
vorous ; the external lobe of the maxillae is palpiform, the tarsi 
5-jointed, the 4th joint if any bilobed : the 2nd is the Hetero- 
mera, of which Tenebrio is a type; the Larva is not active nor 
carnivorous, the external lobe of the maxillae is not palpiform, 
the mandibles have a notch on the inside covered with a strong 
sometimes fleshy membrane, and the hinder tarsi are 4-jointed, 
the basal joint generally long : the 3rd has Curculio for its 
type, which has an inactive maggot-shaped Larva, generally 
feeding on fibrous vegetable or leaves; the Imago has a rostri- 
form head, and the maxillae have no external lobe : the 4th 
may be characterized by Chrysomela , whose Larva is not very 
active ; it, as well as the Imago, feeds on vegetables ; the tarsi 
are 4- or 5-jointed with the 3rd joint bifid or dilated. Whether 
the above outline be founded in truth or not, I may safely 
add that until all the types of form have been carefully ex- 
amined and their trophi, antennae and tarsi accurately deline- 
ated, we shall look in vain for materials to found a natural 
system of arrangement. 
T. bipustidatum has been taken in profusion at Coombe- 
wood in the month of March, in Boleti, by Mr. Samouelle; it 
is found also in April, May and June, when I once discovered 
a puff-ball in the New Forest almost filled with specimens; it 
inhabits also the Auricularia Tabacino , and has occurred in 
Darent Wood and Richmond Park. 
The Plant is Epipactis Nidus avis (Bird’s-nest Orchis), 
gathered last June in Bagley Wood, Oxford. 
