518 INSECTA. 



Meryx, Lat. 



Is distinguished from the following subgenera by the maxill'ary 

 palpi always salient which are terminated by a larger joint in the 

 form of a reversed triangle(l). 



Dasycerus, Brong. 



Although the tarsi of the Dasyceri present but three joints, they 

 are connected with this family by other affinities. The two first 

 joints of their antennae are globular, the following ones very small, 

 capillary and pilose, and the three last also pilose and globular. 

 The head is triangular and distinct from the thorax. The maxillary 

 palpi are salient, small and. subulate. The thorax and the elytra are 

 suicated. The abdomen is almost globular(2). 



Latridius, Herbst. Tenebrio, Lin. Dermestes, Fab. 



Where the palpi are very short and subulate; the head and thorax 

 are narrower than the abdomen; the first joint of the antennae is very 

 stout and globular, and the following ones, to the tenth inclusively, 

 are almost obconical, glabrous, or simply pubescent; the last is 

 larger than the preceding ones and ovoid. The thorax is wider than 

 it is long or almost isometrical, and the abdomen, square or almost 

 oval(3). 



Silvanus, Lat. Gyll. Dermestes, Fab. 



Where the body is nearly linear or almost forms a parellelopiped; 

 the thorax, longer than it is broad, is as wide as the anterior part of 

 the abdomen; the first joints of the antennae are nearly equal, almost 

 turbiniform, and the last is nearly globular; the palpi are almost 

 filiform, and the anterior extremity of the head is somewhat elon- 

 gated into a sort of triangular and obtuse snout(4). 



Sometimes the mandibles are entirely exposed, salient and robust. 

 The body is generally elongated, narrow and depressed. These In- 

 sects form the genus 



Trogosita, Oliv. Fab. Platycerus, Geoff. 



In some, the antennae are shorter than the thorax, or at most of an 



(1) Lat., Gener. Crust, et Insect., Ill, p. 17, and I, xi, 1. 



(2) See Dumeril, Diet, des Sc. Nat., where this Insect is well figured, and 

 Arrh., Faun. Insect. Eur., IV, 5. 



(3) See Lat, Ibid., and Gyllenh., Insect. Suec., I, iv, 123. 



(4) See Lat. and Gyllenh., op. cit. 



