I have combined with Chariessa, Pelonium Spin., as there does not appear to be any sufficient character to separate them. The species having the sides of the thorax sinuate, differ by the anterior tibiæ not being serrate externally, and I have therefore separated them to form the new genus Cregya: they are Pelonium vetustum Spin., Enoplium fasciatum Lec., and Clerus oculatus Say. Of these genera Chariessa and Cregya are represented in the Pacific as well as in the Atlantic districts.

Group II.-Corynetes.

Insects of small size, with the antennæ 11-jointed, the last three joints forming a small club; the maxillary palpi are longer than the labial, which are only of ordinary length, and not of large size as in the preceding members of this family. Our species of Necrobia have been introduced from Europe, and live on animal materials in houses, and in dried carrion in the open air.

The genera are as follows:

First joint of tarsi equal to the second;

Club of antennæ elongated, loose.

Club of antennæ small, compact.

LEBASIELLA.
LARICOBIUS.

First joint of tarsi shorter and partly covered by the second, club of anten

næ compact;

Palpi with the last joint elongate, truncate.
Palpi with the last joint subulate.

NECROBIA. OPETIOPALPUs.

The genus Laricobius is remarkable for the elytra having rows of large quadrate punctures: the thorax is smaller than usual, transverse, marked with large scattered punctures. Our species is one-tenth of an inch long, of a brownish-red color, clothed with short black hairs: I have named it L. rubidus; it was found near Washington, D. C., by Mr. H. Ulke.

MEXYLI

FAM. XLIII.-LYMEXYLIDAE.

Mentum small, quadrate, corneous; ligula coriaceous, small; palpi 3-jointed.

Maxillæ exposed at base, with two small ciliate lobes; palpi 4-jointed, stout, in the male very large, flabellate. Antennæ inserted at the sides of the head, 11-jointed. ser

rate.

}

Head deflexed, narrowed behind; eyes usually very large; mandibles moderate, labrum and clypeus distinct.

Prothorax with the lateral margin well defined, side pieces not separate; prosternum short; coxal cavities round, confluent in our genera, open behind.

Mesosternum small, flat, side pieces large, attaining widely the coxæ.

Metasternum long, with narrow side pieces; epimera not

visible.

Elytra nearly as long as the abdomen in our genera, much abbreviated in Atractocerus.

Abdomen with five free ventral segments in Lymexylon, with six or seven in Atractocerus and Hylocoetus.

Anterior coxæ conical, large, prominent, contiguous in our genera, distant in Atractocerus; middle coxæ also large, conical, contiguous; posterior coxæ transverse, conical, prominent internally, contiguous.

Legs slender, moderately long; tibiæ with small terminal spurs; tarsi 5-jointed, filiform; claws simple.

This family contains but three genera, of which one, Atractocerus, has not yet occurred in our fauna, but may be expected in Arizona or Texas, as I have already seen specimens from Chihuahua. A species of Lymexylon is very destructive to ship timber in northern Europe, but no danger is to be apprehended from our species, which is very rare. The genus Hylocoetus is remarkable for having a small ocellus at the middle of the front. Abdomen with six ventral segments, elytra entire. Abdomen with five ventral segments, elytra entire.

HYLOCOETUS.
LYMEXYLON.

FAM. XLIV.-CUPESIDAE.

Mentum small, transverse, corneous; ligula small bilobed; palpi 3-jointed..

Maxillæ uncovered at the base, but concealed in the deep buccal cavity, with two lobes, the outer one corneous, hooked; palpi 4-jointed, short.

Antennæ inserted upon the front, approximate, rigid, filiform, moderately elongated, 11-jointed.

Head porrected, tuberculate, suddenly constricted behind; eyes round, prominent, very finely granulated; lower surface with the gene large and prominent, forming a deep buccal cavity; mandibles small; labrum very short, truncate.

Prothorax small, quadrate, lateral margin well defined, side pieces not separate; prosternum entire, with a slight point behind fitting into the mesosternum; coxal cavities small, transverse, open behind; under surface excavated for the reception of the anterior legs.

Mesosternum large, quadrate, receiving in front the extremity of the prosternum; side pieces excavated for the middle legs, and attaining the coxæ.

Metasternum moderate, side pieces narrow, epimera not

visible.

Elytra entire, with rows of large square punctures, and intermediate ribs; epipleuræ narrow, extending to the apex. Abdomen with five free ventral segments.

Anterior coxæ small, not prominent, slightly separated; middle coxæ quadrate, flat, contiguous; posterior transverse, flat, sulcate posteriorly, receiving the thighs in repose.

Legs slender, contractile; tibiæ without terminal spurs; tarsi 5-jointed, slightly dilated, spongy beneath; claws small, simple.

A family containing a single very anomalous genus, of which but two species inhabit the United States; one of them, C. capitata, is black, with the head red; the other, C. cinerea, is pale gray, with darker lines. They are found under bark of decaying trees, and also occasionally in houses.

The affinities of this family are very obscure; in the form and insertion of the antennæ it is similar to the first genera of the next family, but other characters, such as the form of coxæ and retractility of the legs, are at variance. The body is covered with small scales as in the genera alluded to.

In this condition of doubt, I leave the family where it was placed by Lacordaire.

FAM. XLV.-PTINIDAE.

Mentum usually small and quadrate, sometimes larger and transverse, corneous; ligula membranous or coriaceous, without paraglossæ; palpi 3-jointed, short.

Maxillæ exposed at base, with two ciliate lobes, the internal one sometimes very small; palpi 4-jointed, short. Antennæ inserted upon the front in the first sub-family, at the sides of the front in the others, having from 9-11 joints, variable in form.

Head retractile, frequently protected by the prothorax; oral organs usually small; epistoma sometimes distinct; labrum distinct in all of our genera.

Prothorax with the side pieces not separate; lateral margin none in the first tribe, distinct in the second; coxal cavities rounded, open behind.

Mesosternum small, oblique; side pieces not attaining the

coxæ.

Metasternum moderate or long, side pieces narrow.

Elytra entire; epipleuræ distinct, sometimes very broad. Abdomen with five ventral segments, the first not elongated.

Anterior and middle coxæ cylindrical, or subglobose, moderately or but slightly prominent, without trochantins; posterior coxæ transverse, not prominent or dilated internally in the first; sulcate behind for the reception of the thighs in the second; slightly prominent internally in the third and fourth sub-families.

Legs contractile in the second sub-family, frequently long; trochanters in the axis of the thighs; tibiæ slender, with the terminal spurs sometimes small, sometimes large; tarsi 5jointed, but with the first joint small in the third and fourth. sub-families.

A family containing species, mostly of small size which live on vegetable matters in an incipient stage of decay; many are therefore found about houses, and have been transported by commerce over the whole globe. The form varies greatly according to the sub-family.

Four sub-families are indicated as follows:

These insects are of small size, with the head and thorax comparatively small. The antennæ are inserted upon the front, long, not serrate, and rather stout. The legs are long, not contractile, with the trochanters large; the tibiæ have the spurs obsolete; in

the first tribe the first joint of the tarsi is not shorter than the second. The hind coxæ are transverse, and are covered by the thighs, in repose. The flanks are continuous with the pronotum.

Two tribes may be separated thus:

Antennæ very approximate.

Antennæ distant.

Tribe I.-PTININI.

PTININI. EUCRADINI.

The antennæ are very approximate at base, long and filiform; the elytra when glabrous are very much inflated, and embrace the sides of the trunk very widely, leaving the ventral segments very small and narrow.

Our genera are :—

Antennæ approximated, filiform; head tuberculate;

Elytra inflated, smooth, shining, glabrous;

Thorax smooth, glabrous.

Thorax tuberculate, pubescent.

Elytra punctured, pubescent;

Teeth of the mentum rounded, labrum emarginate.

Teeth of the mentum acute; labrum rounded.

GIBBIUM.

MEZIUM.

NIPTUS.

PTINUS.

The first joint of the tarsi is long in Ptinus, but only equal to the second in the other genera.

Gibbium scotias is imported from Europe, as are some of the species of Ptinus, which genus is however generally diffused. Niptus is represented by one New Mexican species.

Tribe II.-EUCRADINI.

Eucrada humeralis Lec. (Hedobia humeralis Mels.), while evidently related to the preceding tribe, differs by having the antennæ widely separated at the base, serrate in the female, but with the tip of the 3-10 joints prolonged in the male, so that the organs become pectinate; the thorax is tuberculate, the elytra are cylindrical, and do not embrace the flanks. The trochanters are moderate, the tibiæ are terminated by a single large spur; the first joint of the tarsi is long.

Sub-Family II.-ANOBIIDAE.

The insects of this sub-family are generally of a cylindrical form, though some of the species of Dorcatoma, and especially