136 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Cox86, anterior oval or rounded; middle ones rounded; 

 posterior ones transverse ; all of them separated by tlie 

 respective sterna. 



Legs short; tibicTS nearly linear, with small terminal spurs; 

 tarsi sometimes 5-jointed, with the fourth joint smaller; the 

 hind ones are only 4-jointed in the males of several genera; 

 the joints are clothed beneath with long hair, and the first 

 three of the anterior pair are frequently dilated in the male. 



Insects of small size and of variable form, but never very de- 

 pressed, and with the. thorax nearly or quite as wide as the elytra. 

 They live on fungi and other decomposing vegetable matters. 

 Some are found flying in the evening twilight, and upon board- 

 piles. 



We have limited this family in the same manner as Ijacordaire, 

 and cannot adopt the views of DuVal, who has joined with it 8il- 

 vanus, and excluded Telmatophilus. We do not find the anterior 

 coxse globose, as described by Erichson, Lacordaire, and DuVal, 

 except in Atomaria and the allied genus Ephistemus. 



The characters of the family are nearly those of Cucujidoe, but 

 the greater length of the first ventral segment, and different form 

 of body, enable the genera to be readily distinguished. 



Three tribes are indicated as follows : — 



Tarsi with fourth joint very small, the second and third lobed. 



Telmatophilini. 

 Tarsi with the joints not lobed beneath ; 



Antennas inserted at the sides of the front. Ckyptopiiagij)i. 



Antenuse inserted at the anterior part of the front. Atomariim. 



Tribe I.— TELMATOPHlLIilfl. 



The antennse are inserted at the sides of the front, which is 

 narrowed and prolonged; the clypeal suture is not visible; the 

 anterior coxae are slightly oval; the prosternum is prolonged, 

 meeting the concave mesosternum. The tarsi are 5-jointed iu 

 both sexes, the fourth joint is very small, and the third is pro- 

 longed beneath into a lobe; the second joint is slightly lobed. 



The species are found on plants near water, and arc known 

 only from the Atlantic district. Loberus resembles, at first 

 sight, a small Halticine of the genus Crepidodera; the color is 

 shining black, the thorax but sparsely punctured, with a trans- 

 verse impression very near the base; the elytra have striae of fine 

 punctures, from which proceed very short fine hairs. 



