CTSTELIDAE. 243 



Maxillae with two flattened, ciliate lobes : palpi 4-jointed, 

 frequently long and much dilated. 



Head suddenly but only moderately narrowed behind the 

 eyes; neck thick, received by the prothorax; mouth mode- 

 rately prolonged ; eyes not finely granulated, usually large, 

 transverse, and emarginate ; anterior part of front subcoria- 

 ceous ; clypeus not distinct (except in Stenochidus, where the 

 front is corneous, and the clypeus somewhat distinct); labrum 

 prominent; mandibles short. 



Antennae 11-jointed, long, more or less serrate, sometimes 

 nearly filiform, inserted under small oblique frontal ridges, 

 which do not reach the anterior margin of the front, and are 

 usually almost obsolete. 



Prothorax with epimera and episterna not distinct, lateral 

 margin obvious in our genera ; anterior coxal cavities closed 

 behind, sometimes confluent. 



Mesosternum short, side pieces attaining the coxal cavities. 



Metasternum long in our genera; episterna narrow. 



Elytra rounded at tip ; epipleurae narrow ; wings perfect 

 in our genera. 



Abdomen with five- or sometimes six ventral segments, of 

 which the first three are more closely connected, though not 

 connate; the hind margin of the third and fourth is coria- 

 ceous; intercoxal process acute in our genera. 



Legs generally long ; anterior coxae varying from globose 

 and subtransverse to conical; middle coxae with distinct 

 trochantin ; hind coxae transverse, not widely separated in 

 our genera ; tibial spurs distinct; tarsi usually lobed beneath, 

 auterior and middle ones 5-jointed, hind tarsi 4-jointed; claws 

 always distinctly pectinate. 



The species of this family approach very nearly in organization 

 to the last tribes, or most degraded forms of Tenebrionidse ; and 

 the degradation of structure is carried still farther by the anterior 

 coxse becoming conical, prominent, and contiguous in certain 

 genera. The only characters to be relied on for the isolation of 

 this family are — 1st, the pectinate claws ; 2d, the anterior coxal 

 cavities closed behind. 



Some of the species live on leaves and flowers, others are found 

 under bark. 



Two tribes exist in this family, but one of which is represented 

 in our fauna ; groups of genera seem to be indicated, but the 

 characters, when illustrated by foreign genera, appear to be very 



