CRYPTOPHAGIDAE. 97 



the inner one with a terminal hook; maxillary palpi 4-jointed, 

 short. 



Eyes rounded, moderately strongly granulated. 



Antennae 11-jointed, with the joints 9 — 11 larger, forming 

 a club. 



Head usually moderate in size, not narrowed behind,, front 

 sometimes moderately prolonged; labrum distinct, transverse. 



Prothorax with the side pieces not separate ; prosternum 

 separating the coxae, usually prolonged behind ; coxal cavi- 

 ties open behind. 



Mesosternum articulating with the prosternum, frequently 

 emarginate in front; side pieces not attaining the coxae. 



Metasternum large, side pieces narrow. 



Elytra rounded behind, entirely covering the abdomen. 



Abdomen with five free ventral segments, the first some- 

 what longer than the others. 



Coxae, anterior oval or rounded ; middle ones rounded ; 

 posterior ones transverse ; all of them separated by the re- 

 spective sterna. 



Legs short ; tibiae 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. 



I have limited this family in the same manner as Lacordaire, 

 and cannot adopt the views of Duval, who has joined with it Syl- 

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

 coxae globose, as described by Erichson, Lacordaire, and Duval, 

 except in Atomaria and the allied genus Epistemus. 



The characters of the family are nearly those of Cucujidce, 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 ; 



Antennae inserted at the sides of the front. Ceyptophagini. 



Antennae inserted at the anterior part of the front. Atomaiuini. 



7 



