COLYDIIDAE. 125 



by him in tlio synopsis (Trans. Anier. Ent. Soc, April, 187o. j). 

 o49) ; the only difference being that the jjrothorax is linely mar- 

 gined at base in the second genus. 



Group III. — Erotyli. 



This group is easily recognized by the apical spines of the 

 maxillae. It is represented in ouv fauna by but one Mexican 

 species, Erotylus Boisduvali, which extends into New Mexico 

 and Arizona; it is considered by Mr. Crotch as a separate genus, 

 Cypherotylus. The characters given for the definition of the new 

 genus do not seem to be satisfactory, as separating it from Ery- 

 tylus proper. 



Fam. XXIII.— COLYDIIDAE. 



Mentum subquadrate, rarely covering the base of the 

 maxill^B; ligula corneous; palpi 3-joiuted, short. 



Maxilloe with two lobes; palpi short, -i-jointed. 



Antennio inserted under the margin of the front, 10- (^r 

 1 1-jointed, rarely S-jointed, sometimes gradually thickened, 

 usually terminated by a small club. 



Prothorax with the side pieces not distinct; anterior coxal 

 cavities almost always closed behind, sometimes distant, 

 sometimes confluent; prosternum scarcely ever prolonged 

 behind the coxse, rarely inclosed behind by the epimcra, 

 as in the Rhynchophora. 



Mesosternum small, epimera not attaining the coxiB. 



Metasternuni large; side [)ieces long, narrow; epimera 

 not visible. 



Elytra never truncate, always covering the abdomen. 



A()domen with five ventral segments, the three or four 

 anterior ones more or less connate. 



Anterior and middle coxte small, globular, not prornincuit; 

 posterior tran.sverse, either distant or contiguous, not promi- 

 nent. 



Legs short; tibiae not dilated; terminal spurs usually 

 small, frcrpiontly indistinct; tarsi 4-jointed, not dilated: un- 

 gues simple. 



Small insects, usually of an elongate or cylindrical form, living 

 under the bark of trees, in fungi, or in the eartli. The small 

 globular anterior and middle coxte, and tin- 4-jointed simple tarsi, 



