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Show 366 INSECTA. specimens of animals. The antennce of the males are longer than those of the females, and in several species, these latter are apterous. P.fur, L., Fab.; P. latro, striatus, F.; Oliv. Col. II, 17, i, I, s; ii, 9, var. of the male. One line and a half in length; light bt·own; antennce as long as the body; a pointed projection on each side of the thorax, and between them two othet·s, rounded and covered \Vith a yellowish down; two transverse, greyish bands on the elytra, formed by hairs. According to De Geet·, it feeds on Flies and othet· dead In. sects that fall in its way. The larvce are very injurious to her. baria and other collections of natural history. P. imperialis, Fab.; Oliv., lb., I, 4. Remarkable for two spots on the clytt·a, which, together, form a rude figure of a two-headed Eagle. On old wood( 1 ). I have frequently found on fecal matters, the P. germain, Lat. Gener. Crust. et Insect., I, p. 279, which is closely allied to the P.fur(2). GIBBIUM, Scop.-Ptinus, Fab., Oliv. The antennce inserted before the eyes, which are flattened and very small; scutellum wanting or indistinct; the body short; abdomen very large, turgid, almost globular and semidiaphanous; the antennre smaller at the extremity, and the elytra soldered. These Insects also reside in our herbaria, &c.(3) In the others, the body is oval, ovoid, or nearly cylindrical; the thorax the width of the abdomen, at l<'ast at base; the antennre either uniform and serrated or pectinated, or terminated by three joints much larger than the preceding ones; they are shorter than the body. PTILINus, Geoff., Oliv.-Ptinus, Lin. The antennce from the third joint strongly pectinate.d or plumose (en panache) in the males, and serrated in the females. They inhabit dry wood, which they pierce with small holes. ( 1) It appears to me that this species belongs to the genus HEDOBIA of the Catalogue of Dejean. It differs ft·om Ptinus in the antenna:, which are more re· mote from each other, and slightly serrated, and pai·ticularly in the tarsi which are shot·t and composed of wide and almost cordiform joints, the last one particularly; the hooks of the latter arc almost always concealed. In Ptinus these tarsi are straight, and their last joint resembles a reversed cone. The antenna: are approxi· mated at base. (2) For the synonymes of the species of this genus, see Schrenh., Synon. lnsecl 11,106. {3) Ptinus scotias, F'ab. ; Oliv., Col. lb. I, 2; Panz., Faun. Insect. Germ., V, 8;-P. sukatm, Fab. 367 There also they copulate, · one of the · sexes being without and suspended in air( I). In the XYLETINus, Lat.-Ptilinus, Fab. To which we will unite ' the OcHINA of Ziegler and Dejean, the antennre are simply serrated in both sexes(2). DoRCATOMA, Herbst., Fab. The antennc:e consisting of but nine joints, terminating suddenly in three larger ones; the two penultimate joints resembling the teeth of a saw(3). ANoBIUM, Fab., Oliv.-Ptinus, Lin.-Byrrltua, Geoff. The antenn::e also terminated by three larger or longer joints, but thetwopenultimates are in the form of a reversed and elongated cone, and that of the end is oval or nearly cylindrical; they consist of eleven joints. Several species of this genus inhabit the interior of our houses, where, in their larva state, they are very noxious, attacking the timbers, furniture, books, &c. and piercing little round holes in them similat· to those made by a very small gimblet. Their excrements form those little pulverulent piles of wood-dust which are frequently observed on floors. The larvce of other species of Anobium attack flour, wafers, cabinets of Birds, Insects, &c. Both sexes, in the nuptial season, frequently summon each other by reiterated and rapid strokes of their mandibles against the wood they inhabit, and mutually answering the signal. Such is the cause of that noise, resembling the accelerated tick of a watch, which is so often heard and which is superstitiously called the deat!t-watch. .fl. tesselatum, Fab.; Oliv., Col. II, 16, i, 1. Three lines in length; dead dusky brown, with yellowish spots formed by hairs; thorax smooth; elytra not stl'iated. ./1. pertinax; Ptinus pertinax, L.; .!i. striatum, Fab.; Oliv. lb. I, 4, Blackish; thorax with a yellowish spot at each posterior angle, and near the middle of its base a compressed eminence (I)Ptilinuapectinicomis, Fab.; Oliv., Col., II, 17, his, 1, l;-P.pectinatua, Fab.;- P. &erratua, Id.; Ptinus denticornis, var.; Panz., lb. VI, 9; XXXV, 9. (2) Ptitinus pallens, Germ. ;-Ptinus serricomis, Fab. In the Ochina hederte, the antenn~ are somewhat larger than those of the Xyletinr, rather less serrated, the second and third joints almost equal in length. I have not examined the other species of Ochina: mentioned by Count Dejean in his Catalogue. {J) Dorcatoma dresdemis, Herbst., Col. IV, xxxix, 8. |
