38 
HYPOCEPHALUS. 
I yesterday suggested to you in your own library, and which I now 
have more fully detailed. Having now examined the genera most 
nearly allied to Hypoceplialus in Mr. Hope’s collection, I am quite 
convinced that Hypoceplialus is a Longicorn, and belongs to the 
sub-family of the Prionidse, in the vicinity of Dorysthenes [Cyrto- 
gnathus Fold. Prion, rostratus and Pr. paradoxus]—Spondylus, 
Trictenotoma and Amallopodes, Dup. (Acanthinodera Cumingii, 
Hope ) ; from all which genera Hypoceplialus borrows some of the 
characters. 
u Commencing with the antennae, I find the greatest resemblance 
between those organs of Hypoceplialus and Spondylus, owing to 
their shortness and moniliform figure, which we observe not only in 
Spondylus, but also in a new curious prionideous insect from 
Cordofan, communicated to me by Mr. Kollar, under the name of 
Prionus Spondyloides, and which I have also seen to-day in 
Mr. Hope’s collection*. The whole structure of the head is still 
more nearly alike in Hypoceplialus and Dorysthenes; and I find 
no other difference except the curious mode of articulation of the 
head with the prothorax in the former genus. The mandibles 
moreover in Hypoceplialus are shorter and broader than in 
Dorysthenes, although the large prominent teeth behind the man¬ 
dibles (which are by no means articulated as might be conceived 
from M. Desmarest’s figure) are more developed in Hypoceplialus 
than in Dorysthenes. The other parts of the mouth in both genera 
are entirely similar; and you perceive from the very minute mando 
(or inner lobe of the maxillee) that Hypoceplialus must be prioni¬ 
deous, because the form of that part is the first family character 
of the Prionidm. 
“ As to the prothorax, there is also a great resemblance between 
Hypoceplialus and Dorysthenes; and the greatest difference is 
merely its increased length, whilst in all other Prionidse the 
prothorax is broader than long. With this character the short¬ 
ness of the elytra is in opposition, these organs being as much 
abridged as the protliorax is elongated. This relation, I confess, 
is very abnormal, but not exclusively peculiar among the Longi- 
corns, as proved by the genus Gnoma. Respecting the sculpture 
of the surface, it is the same as in most Prionidse, as well as the 
colour and texture, which has in all parts the appearance of a coria- 
* I believe this is identical with Coptocephalus brasiliensis, figured in Griffith's “Animal 
Kingdom"—Metopocoilus maculicollis, Serville. J. 0. W. 
