104 COLEOPTERA OP NORTH AMERICA. 



somewhat the outline of certain Monotomidae, especially Phyco- 

 noinus. 



Fam. XXV.— mycetophagidae. 



Mentum transverse, trapezoidal ; ligula usually corneous, 

 without paraglossas; labial palpi 3-jointed. 



Maxillse with two lobes, ciliate at the extremity; maxillary 

 palpi 4-jointed. 



Byes tolerably large, transverse or rounded, strongly gran- 

 ulated. 



Antennas inserted immediately in front of the eyes, 11- 

 jointed, the outer joints gradually or suddenly enlarged. 



Head short; frontal suture distinct in the first sub-family, 

 wanting in the second; labrum short, covering the mandibles, 

 which are short, acute, and not prominent. 



Prothorax with the side pieces not separate, as wide as the 

 elytra at the base; anterior coxal cavities open behind in the 

 first sub-family, closed in the second. 



Mesosternum narrowly separating the middle coxae. 



Metasternum moderate, side pieces narrow. 



Elytra entirely covering the abdomen, rounded at tip. 



Abdomen with five free and equal ventral segments. 



Coxas, anterior oval, rounded, somewhat prominent; middle 

 rounded; posterior transverse, not contiguous. 



Legs slender; tibire nearly linear, with small terminal 

 spurs; tarsi filiform, 4-jointed in the first sub-family, in 

 which the anterior ones of the male have but three joints ; 

 lobed beneath, and 5-jointed, with the fourth joint small, in 

 the second sub- family ; ungues simple. 



The insects of this family live on fungi and under bark. They 

 are oval, rarely elongate, slightly convex, densely punctured, and 

 hairy. Many have the elytra handsomely variegated with spots. 



Tarsi filiform, 4-jointed. Mycetophagid;e. 



Tarsi lobed beneath, 5-jointed. Diphyllid.*:. 



Sub-Family I.— MYCETOPHAGIDAE (genuini). 



The species of this sub-family are finely punctured insects, 

 clothed with prostrate hair. The anterior coxal cavities are 

 open ; the tarsi are 4-jointed and filiform, the anterior pair in the 



