THE DARKLING BEETLES. 124o 



ee. Middle coxre very prominent; thorax narrower at base than elytra. 

 its sides rounded and without a sharp edge; next to last tarsal 

 joint bro.-ul. slightly hilobed; body covering rather flimsy in tex- 



Fainily LX. (FDEMERID.E. p, 1304. 

 <1<1. Head strongly and suddenly constricted behind the eyes. 



(l. Thorax with a sharp edge at sides, its base as wide as elytra. 

 //. Antenna 1 filiform. 



/. Hind coxfe with plates; head with vertex lobed or ridged be- 

 hind, so that in extension it reposes on the front edge of the 

 thorax ; abdomen usually prolonged in a style or pointed 

 r <! s. Family LXI. MORDELLID.E. p. l.'los. 



//. Hind eoxa> without plates; characters otherwise as in Melan- 

 dryidre; length less than 5.5 mm. 



Tribe (LVIII). ,vrr,/,///7///. p. 12i)!>. 



lili. Antenna 1 flabellate (male), subserrate (female) ; characters 

 otherwise as in Ilhipiphorithe. 



Jeims (LXV). PcJci-ntnnni, p. 130"). 



</!/. Sides of thorax more or less rounded and without a sharp edge. 

 j. Thorax at base narrower than elytra. 



/>. Hind coxa 3 not prominent; tarsal claws simple; antennas fili- 

 form and simple; head with an abrupt narrow neck; length 

 less than 112 mm., usually less than 5 mm. 



Family LXI I. ANTHICID.E, p. 1320. 

 A-/,-. Hind coxa? large, prominent. 



1. Tarsal claws simple ; head horizontal ; antenna? usually 

 branched in male, serrate in female; next to last tarsal 

 joints very broad. 



Family LXIII. PYROCHROID.E, p. 1340. 



//. Tarsal claws cleft or toothed ; front vertical ; elytra and 



sides of abdomen without coadaptation ; length 6 or 



re mm. Family L-XIV. MELOIDJE, p. 1350. 



jj. Thorax at base as wide as elytra ; form as in Mordellida\ the 



abdomen not ending in a spinous process; elytra usually shorter 



than abdomen and narrowed behind; antenmo pectinate in the 



males, frequently serrate in the females. 



Family LXV. Un ii'ii'iioitin.K, p. 1301. 



Family LV. TENEBRIONID.E. 



THE DARKLING BEETLES. 



A laro-e family whose species vary greatlx in si/e and form of 

 body. In color they arc mostly black or dark brown, whence the 

 name of the typical genus, Tan hrio. which is derived from a. Latin 

 word meaning "darkness." The larger forms have a peculiar loose- 

 jointed appearance and hum;, rather clumsy and awkward legs. The 



