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Show 370 INSECTA. tarsi bifid, mandibles unidentated under the point; palpi, maxillre and ligula exposed, the latter bilobate; mentum nearly semi-orbicul ar.' Two species are known, both pr·oper to Nor·th Amel'ica(I). R f~YsonEs, Lat. Dalm. The antennce gr·anose and all the joints of the tarsi enLi1·e. The mandibles appeat· to me to be nan·owed and almost tricuspidate at the end; tbe . mentum is corneous, very lat'gc, olypeiform and termi. nated supet·iorly by three teeth or points; the palpi are very short. Notwithstanding the number of tarsial joints, this genus seems to approach that of Cucujus and even certain Brenti, with a short proboscis in both sexes. The habits of these Insects are the same as those of the Xylophagi(2). FAMILY IV. CLA VICORNES. In the fourth family of the pentamerous Coleoptera, as in the third, we find four pal pi, and elytra covering the superior surface of the abdomen, or its. greater portion; but it differs in the antcnnre, \Vhich ar ~ almost always thicker at the ex· tremity, that even frequ ently fo rms a perfoliaceous or solid club; they are longer than the maxillary pal pi, and their base is exposed, or barely covered. The legs are not natatory,and the joints of the tarsi, at least those of the posterior ones, are usually entire. In their larva state, at least, they feed on animal matters. We will divide this family into two sections: the common characters of the first of which are, antennre always composed of eleven joints, longer than the head, not forming from the third a fusiform or nearly cylindrical club, and their second joint not dilated in the form of an auricle; last joint of the tarsi, as well as. its hooks, of a moderate length, or small. These Clavicornes are terrestrial ,, hile those of our second ' (1) Oupu capitata, Fab.; Lat., Gener. Crust. et Insect., I, viii,~; Coqueb1 lllust. Icon. Insect., III, xxx, 1, (2) Rhysodes exaratus, Dalm., Aualect. Entom., p. 93. This species has lately been discovered by l\f. Leon Dufour in the Pyrenees. C<;lLEOI'TERA. 371 section are aquatic or shore Insects, thus leading to the Palicornes, most of which inhabit water, .and whose antennre pne ver consist of more t 11 an m•n e J•O .m ts. The :fiJ•st section will comprise several small tribes. The first, that of the P ALP .A TO RES, in a natural series, should be placed ncar the Pselaphii and Brachelytra(l ). Their antennre, which are, at ]east, as long as the head and thorax, slightly enlarge towards the extremity, or are nearly filiform; their two first joints are longer than the following ones. The head is distinguished from the thorax by an ovoid strangulation. The maxillary palpi project, are long and inflated at the extremity. The abdomen is large, oval or ovoid, and embraced laterally by the elytra. The legs are .elongated, thighs clavate, and tarsial joints entire. These Insects remain on the ground, under stones and other bodies. Some-the Scydmroni-frequent wet places. We will unite them in a single genus, that of MASTIGUS. MASTIGus, Hoff.-Ptinus, Fah. Joints of the antennc:e nearly in the form of a reversed cone, the first very long and the last ones har·dly thicker than the others; the two last joints of the ma-x illary pal pi forming an oval club; thorax almost ovoid; abdomen oval(2). SoYDMJENus, Lat. Gyll.-Pselaphus, Illig. Payk..-.flnthicus, Fab. Antennce granosr, sensibly inflated towards the ·e:xtr·emity, and but slightly geniculate; maxillary palpi tuminatecl by a very small and pointed joint; thorax nen.dy globular; the a]most ovoid abdomen shortet· in propot·tion than in Mastigus(3). In all the following Clavicornes the head is generally sunk (1) An approximation which appears to us to result from the organs ofmandu· cation and the habits. (2) Maatigus palpalis, Lat., Gener. Crust. et Insect., i, 281; viii, 5. See Sch~nh. Synon. Insect., J, ii, p. 59, and I\liig, Entom. Monog., P· 163. (3) Scydmrenus Helwigii, Fab.; Notoxus minutus, Panz., Faun. Insect. Germ. XXlll, 5;-S. Godarti, Lat., I, viii, 6;-S. hirticollis.'J Gyll.;-8. minutU8, Id.; Anthietu minutus, Fab. See Schomherr, Synon. Insect. I, ii, P· 57. M. Duros, of the King's body-gual'd, who is pecnlial'ly fortunate in discovering small species, |
