( 41 ) II. The Rhi/ncltophoi'otis Coleoptera of Japan. By David Sharp, M.B., F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. Part I. ATTELABID.E and RHYNCHITID.E. [Read November 7th, 1888.J The Rhynehopbora brought by Mr. Lewis from Japan fifteen years ago were examined by M. Roelofs, and described by him in some papers that appeared in the ' Annales de la Societe entomologiqne de Beli^nqiie,' 1874 and 1880. Since then Mr. Lewis has olttained a much more extensive collection, and, as M. Roelo's is not at present occupied with Entomology, I have undertaken the task of revising the collection by the assistance of this much richer material, and I now deal with the first two families, Attelahidce and RhynchitidcB. I was surprised to find, on examining the first of these groups, that they form an exception to the other Ehynchophora in the structure of the prosternum : Leconte recently drew attention to the importance of this part of the body as a means of separating the Ehynchophora from other Coleoptera, and it is very curious that he should not have noticed that this family, which he correctly placed at the commencement of the series, differs from his definition of Ehynchophora in this important particular. In order to define the structure of the prosternum in these insects, I have been obliged to make use of a new term, which I must explain. If the prosternum of one of the larger Apostasimeride Ehynchophora be looked at — Homalonotus, for example — it will be found that there are three pieces in the antero-posterior direction of the mesial line — 1, the prosternum proper ; 2, a piece rather small in size and usually rhomboidal form, for which I find no existent name, and which I have called the centro-sternal piece ; 3, the prosternal epimera, joined on the mesial line by a suture more or less obliterated. This same structure may be seen in the Synmerid TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1889. PART I. (MARCH.)
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