COLEOPTERA. 365 



ence, sometimes almost ovoid or oval, and at others nearly 

 cylindrical, but generally short and rounded at the two 

 extremities. The head is nearly globular or orbicular, and 

 almost entirely received into a strongly arched or vaulted tho- 

 rax, resembling a hood. The antennse of some are filiform, 

 or diminished towards the end, and are either simple, flabel- 

 liform, pectinated, or serrated; those of others terminate sud- 

 denly by three larger $nd much longer joints. The mandibles 

 are short, thick, and dentated under the point. The palpi 

 are very short and terminated by a larger and almost ovoid 

 joint, or like a reversed triangle. The tibiae are not dentated, 

 and the spurs at the extremities are very small. There is but 

 little variety in their colours, which are always dark. They 

 are very small. When touched they counterfeit death, lower 

 their heads, incline their antennse, and contract their feet; in 

 this apparent state of lethargy they remain for some time. 

 Their motions are generally slow, and those that are winged 

 rarely take to flight to escape. Their larvae are very noxious 

 to us, and bear a great resemblance to those of the Scara- 

 bseides. Their body, frequently curved into an arc, is soft 

 and whitish; the head and feet are brown and squamous. 

 Their mandibles are strong. With fragments of various sub- 

 stances, which they detach by gnawing, they construct a shell 

 in which they become nymphs. Other species establish their 

 domicil in the country, in old wood, and under stones ; their 

 habits are the same. 



Such are the characters of the genus 



Ptinus, Lin. 



In some, the head and thorax, or the anterior half of the body is 

 narrower than the abdomen; the antennse are always terminated in 

 the same manner, simple or but slightly serrated, and at least 

 almost as long as the body. 



Ptinus, Lin., Fab.< Bruchus, Geoff. 



The antennas of the true Ptini are inserted between the eyes, which 

 are protuberant or convex. Their body is oblong. 



They are generally found in houses, and chiefly in granaries and 

 inhabited places. Their larvae destroy our herbaria and desiccated 



