DERMESTIDAE. 141 



Antenna^ inserted in rr(-)nt of the ejes, usually 11 -jointed, 

 variable in Anthrenus, 9-jointed in Doartlirus, and lU-jointed 

 in certain foreign genera, with the last three joints forming 

 a large club. 



Head small, deflcxed; epistoma very short, coriaceous; 

 labrum distinct; mandibles short; eyes rounded, front usu- 

 ally with a single ocellus or simple lens. 



Prothorax short, with the side pieces not separate, some- 

 times excavated beneath for the reception of the antennae; 

 eoxal cavities large, transverse, closed behind by the meso- 

 sternum, except in Byturus; prosternum prolonged behind, 

 except in Dermestesand Bj'turus, and usuall}' lobed in front. 



Mesosternum prominent, rounded or subacute in front in 

 Dermestes, emarginate in the others ; side pieces attaining 

 the coxEe. 



Metasternum short, truncate in front; side pieces wide. 



Elytra covering the abdomen, not striate ; epipleun^ obso- 

 lete behind. 



Abdomen Avith five free ventral segments. 



Anterior coxas conical, prominent, with small trochantin; 

 middle coxa^ oval, oblique, excavated externally, with large 

 trochantin, usually distant; posterior slightly separated, 

 transverse, not extending to the margin of the body (except 

 in Orphilus), dilated into a plate partly protecting the thighs, 

 which is, however, almost obsolete in Byturus. 



Legs short, somewhat contractile ; tibiae with distinct 

 spurs; tarsi 5-jointed, joints 1-4 short, usually equal, fifth 

 longer; claws simple in the second sub-family, toothed in 

 Byturid;ie. 



This family coniprisos small oval insects, some of which are 

 found (111 dried animal remains, others only on plants. Several 

 of them are very destructive to furs and objects of natural history. 



The genera indicate two sul)-fannlies : — 



Tarsi with set-ond and tliird joints lobed heueatli. Bytuuin/V.. 



Tarsi simple. Dekmkstinyk. 



Sub-Family I.— BYTURTN.^. 



This sul)-family consists of a siiiji'Ie genus, Byturus, represented 

 hy one species from the Atlantic disj^rict and one from the Pacific. 

 It departs remarkably from the next sub-family by the mandibles 

 having several teeth, by the tarsi having the second and third 

 joints prolonged beneath into a membranous lobe, and the fourth 



