70 THOS. L. CASEY. 



Mentum small, slightly rounded in front, usually transverse, and very 

 short. , 



Ligula corneous or coriaceous, of variable form, prominent. Palpi short 

 three-jointed. Maxillae bilobed ; palpi rather short, four-jointed. 



Antennae eleven-jointed, inserted on, or slightly under, the lateral an- 

 terior angles of the head, filiform or terminated by a slight club, the first 

 joint usually elongated, sometimes to a great degree. 



Eyes usually small, though in a few instances very large. 



Head large, usually joined closely to the prothorax, but sometimes, as 

 in Ctictijits, connected thereto by a very distinct neck. 



Prothorax with side pieces and upper piece not separated. Pronotum 

 generally not contiguous with base of elytra, and frequently having two 

 lateral longitudinal lines, which are the lines of intersection of the lateral 

 and superior surfaces. 



Anterior coxal cavities in some sub-families closed, in others open be- 

 hind, separated by the prosternum. 



Mesosternum moderate, sometimes the portion between the middle 

 coxae is quite broad, and sub-quadrate. The epiraera reach the coxae. 



Metasternum large and quadrate, episterna long, narrow and covered. 



Elytra more or less rounded behind; flat, sometimes strongly margined, 

 but in others not at all so, covering the entire abdomen except in a few 

 cases. Scutellum small. 



Abdomen with five free ventral segments. 



Anterior coxae variable in size and sometimes closely approximate — 

 Hemipeplns — globular or sub-conical. Middle coxae not prominent, sub- 

 triangular. Posterior coxae transverse, nearly contiguous. 



Legs rather short, femora large, tibiae slender, terminated by two 

 spurs. Tarsi very variable, somotimes heteromerous in the males, and 

 pentamerous in the females, usually with the first joint small, and pen- 

 tamerous in both sexes. 



The family is composed of a comparatively large lunuljer of genera, 

 which, as may be seen from the above analysis, are very heterogeneous 

 in many respects, but which preserve in common, except in Silvanusi, a 

 certain general fnct'es. The species are generally flat and elongated ; 

 sometimes excessively so, and of a sombre tint. They are found generally 

 under bark, and are usually moderate in their movements, although 

 Telephaims velox runs with the most remarkable swiftness. 



Employing the table in the above mentioned work, we have the fol- 

 lowing five sub-families : 



