124 THE ORDER OF COLEOPTERA. 



is often as long as all the others united. They are mostly found under 

 the bark of dead or decaying trees. The larvne of some foreign species 

 of Uloma have been found in flour and in bake houses, like those of 

 Tenebrio proper. The species of the genus Hypophloeus, as the name 

 implies, live under the bark of trees. These, which are our two most 

 common and typical genera, maylbe thus distinguished: 



A. Labrum attached directly to the front ; anterior tibae dilated and toothed on the outer edge ; size 

 about medium TJlojia. 



A A. Labrum separated from the front by a membranous clypeus ; anterior tibai somewhat widened 

 but without teeth ; size small HvpornLtEUs. 



Uloma contains five N. American species. The U. impressa, Melsh, 

 is a common insect, found in old logs and stumj^s in an advanced stage 

 of decay. It is between four- and five-tenths of an inch in length, and 

 of a deep mahogany-brown color. It was formerly considered identical 

 with the U. culinaris of Europe. The U. imherbis and the JJ. punctulata, 

 Lee, are similar, but only about three-tenths of an inch long, and of a 

 lighter color. The former is distinguished by having the last joint of 

 the anteunre obliquely truncated and pointed. The other two species 

 have not been found east of the Mississippi river. Hypophloeus contains 

 three species. They resemble Uloma in form and color, but are only 

 about three-twentieths of an inch in length. 



Tkibe XV. 



HETEEOMEEOUS FUi^GUS-BEETLES. 

 Heteromera fungicola. Taxicornes mostly, Latreille. 



The insects of this small tribe so closely resemble the heteromerous 

 ground beetles in their organic details, that they are merged by Lacor- 

 daire in his comprehensive family of Tenebrionida3. They are, however, 

 usually easily distinguished by their general form and color, and their 

 short perfoliate antennae, besides the other characters mentioned in the 

 general description of the tribes of the heteromerous section. But they 

 are especially distinguished by their fuugivorous habits. The only other 

 insects in this section which are known to us, in this country, having 

 similar habits, are the two species of Tetratoma, in the family of Me- 

 landryidie. 



They are usually found, in all their stages, in the fungi which grow 

 upon trees ; but they are sometimes found under decayed bark, where 

 they are sui)i)osed to feed upon the small fungi which grow in such sit- 

 uations. They comprise the family Diaperidae. 



