82 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



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tarsi short, dilated (except in some genera of the third tribe), 

 hairy beneath,, usually 5 jointed, with the fourth joint very 

 small ; the posterior of the males of the sixth tribe 4 jointed, 

 and in the foreign genus Cybocephalus all the tarsi 4-jointed. 



The species of this family are usually oval, depressed, or slightly 

 convex, hut sometimes almost globular, sometimes elongate ; they 

 live on decomposing substances, both animal and vegetable. The 

 head is suddenly narrowed before the antennae, forming a short 

 beak; the antennae are retractile, and their basal joints frequently 

 pass into grooves under the eyes. 



Six tribes compose this family, and are all represented in our 

 fauna. 



A. Antennae with eleven distinct joints, club 3-articulate ; 



Labrum distinct ; epistoma not prolonged ; 



Two or three dorsal segments of the abdomen exposed ; 

 Maxillae with two lobes. Brachypterini. 



Maxilla? with one lobe. Carpophilixi. 



The last dorsal segment (pygidium) alone exposed ; 



Prothorax not covering the base of the elytra. Nitidulini. 



Prothorax covering the base of the elytra. Cychramini. 



Labrum concealed by the epistoma, which is prolonged. Ipixi. 



B. Antennae apparently 10-jointed, club solid. Rhizophagini. 



Tribe I.-BRACHYPTERmi. 



The species composing this tribe are few in number, found on 

 flowers, and are more convex than those of the n£xt tribe. Be- 

 sides the characters above specified, the anterior coxal cavities 

 are not closed behind, the tarsi are 5-jointed in both sexes, and 

 the prosternum is not prolonged behind the posterior coxa?. No 

 antennal grooves are seen below the eyes, and by this character 

 the genera may be distinguished from all of those of the next 

 tribe which occur in our fauna. The two genera are : — 



Ungues simple. Cercus. 



Ungues toothed at the base. Brachypterus. 



The males of the last genus have a small apical dorsal segment. 



Tribe II.— CARPOPHLLINI. 



The species of this tribe are usually flattened, though some of 

 the species of Carpophilus are moderately convex. They are known 

 (at least our genera) from those of the first tribe by the head 

 having beneath the eyes two converging grooves for the reception 



