244 
BRITISH BEETLES. 
are, comparatively, of little assistance in classifying 
these insects, the ligula and palpi (except in a few in- 
stances) exhibiting but little variation, and the inaxillae 
being usually single-lobed ; the mentum, however, 
affords a great diversity of structure, being either 
abruptly truncate at its base, or provided with a neck, 
and in either case received into a more or less deep 
emargination of that part of the head that supports it. 
This neck is wide, but of very little depth, in the 
species with a short rostrum ; but in those that have a 
long rostrum it is elongate, and, in proportion to its 
elongation, the mentum is reduced, so as to appear 
sometimes entirely absent. The mentum, varying 
thus in development, either wholly covers the maxilla? 
(except sometimes at their base), or leaves them free; 
and it is upon this structure that Lacordaire has based 
his classification of the section, which he primarily 
divides into the Addlognathes (in which the maxillae 
are entirely, or for the greater part, hidden by the 
mentum), aud Phanerognathes (wherein they are com- 
pletely uncovered). 
Of the remaining characters in the Bhynchophora, 
it may suffice to say, that their mandibles (which are 
short and robust) vary considerably in shape ; their 
protliorax is very rarely margined at the sides, which 
are usually merged imperceptibly with the pronotum ; 
their tibiae are very rarely toothed externally, and 
often spurless at the apex; and their abdomen is 
composed of five segments, whereof the two first are 
very often soldered together, and the third and fourth 
usually shorter than the others. 
By Schbnherr (whose “ Genera et Species Curcu- 
lionidum/’ 8 vols., Paris, 1833-1845, has long been 
