366 INSECTA. 



specimens of animals. The antennae of the males are longer than 

 those of the females, and in several species, these latter are apterous. 

 P. fur, L., Fab. j P. latro, striatus, F. ; Oliv. Col. II, 17, i, 1, 

 3; ii, 9, var. of the male. One line and a half in length; light 

 brown; antennae as long as the body; a pointed projection on 

 each side of the thorax, and between them two others, rounded 

 and covered with a yellowish down; two transverse, greyish 

 bands on the elytra, formed by hairs. 



According to De Geer, it feeds on Flies and other dead In- 

 sects that fall in its way. The larvae are very injurious to her- 

 baria and other collections of natural history. 



P. imperialist Fab.; Oliv., lb., I, 4. Remarkable for two 

 spots on the elytra, which, together, form a rude figure of a 

 two-headed Eagle. On old wood(l). 



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 antennae 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 antennae 

 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 least at base; the antennae 

 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 antennae from the third joint strongly pectinated 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 from Ptinus in the antenna:, which are more re- 

 mote from each other, and slightly serrated, and particularly in the tarsi which are 

 short and composed of wide and almost cordiform joints, the last one particularly; 

 the hooks of the latter are 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 Schoenh., Synon. Insect. 



11,106. 



(3) Ptinus scotias, Fab.; Oliv., Col. lb. I, 2; Panz., Faun. Insect. Germ., V, 

 8; P. sulcatum, Fab. 



