40 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Tribe XXIV.— DKYPTIIVI. 



Antennte setaceous, free at base, three basal joints somewhat 

 less pubescent, the first usually elongate and thicker than the 

 following. Head constricted at a variable distance behind the 

 eyes to a neck which sometimes expands semiglobularly at its 

 insertion in the thorax, front narrowed before the eyes, two supra- 

 orbital setae, clypeus moderately prolonged and with a variable 

 number of setigerous punctures, sometimes (Drypta) without 

 any. Eyes oval, moderately prominent, usually not very close 

 to the mouth beneath. Labrum transverse, moderately promi- 

 nent, truncate or feebly emarginate, sexsetose in front, the two 

 lateral setos in Drypta stouter, longer, and nearly vertical. Man- 

 dibles slightly prominent, feebly arcuate, acute at tip. Maxilite 

 hooked at tip, ciliate or spinous within, outer lobe usually slender, 

 biarticulate, with equal lobes; palpi long, more or less hirsute, 

 the terminal joint more or less triangular. Mentum variable in 

 form, deeply emarginate, with or without tooth ; ligula and para- 

 glossce variable in form; the palpi moderately long, the terminal 

 joint shorter than the preceding, more or less triangular in form, 

 the penultimate longer and plurisetose in front. Thorax variable 

 in form, often moderately long, the lateral margin acute (except 

 in Drypta), the lateral setae often indistinct, that of the posterior 

 angle usually entirely absent. Scutellum distinct. Elytra not 

 margined at base, lateral margin acnte, entire, apex truncate, 

 dorsal punctures absent in our genera. Prosternum not pro- 

 longed. Mesosternal epimera very narrow. Metasternal epimera 

 distinct ; posterior coxas contiguous. Legs moderately long, the 

 femora often slightly clavate, the middle and posterior tibias 

 ciliate or slightly spinous externally, the anterior slender, deeply 

 emarginate within, the tibial spurs moderate in length, rarely 

 {Galerita) long. Tarsi variable in form, the claws simple or 

 pectinate. 



The males have the anterior tarsi dilated, sometimes very 

 slightly, and densely pubescent beneath. 



The essential character separating the Dryptini from all other 

 Truncatipennes is found in the structure of the labial palpi. The 

 form of the basal joint of the antennae usually relied on is by no 

 means a good character, as in several genera of the preceding 

 tribes the first joint is even longer than in some of those of the 



