﻿148 BRITISH BEETLKS. 



rotten wood or fmigi^ lias the antennae terminated by a 

 three-jointed, flatjdcntated club; and the genus A no bium, 

 wherein the three last joints of the antennae are enlarged 

 or lengthened, comprises the well-known "Death-watch;" 

 an appellation given to certain of its species [A. tessel- 

 luium especially) found in old furniture, wainscoting, 

 etc., on account of their habit of making an audible 

 clicking with their mandibles against the hard wood, 

 possibly as a call for their mates. This noise, distinct 

 enough in the stillness of the night, and associated by 

 superstition with the advent of death, has doubtless in 

 olden times unstrung the weak nerves of many an in- 

 valid. The wood-dust ejected from their burrows in 

 beams, chairs, etc., may frequently be seen in country 

 houses. Tliey retract the limbs aiul simulate death very 

 readily and pertinaciously. 



The members of this family, and the remainder of the 

 section, are associated by Thomson with Cerylon, Coly- 

 dium, Myrmecoxenus, Sphindus, etc., in the Xylophagi of 

 Latrcille, which he places between the Ijamellicornes 

 and an equivalent division, Fungicola, Latr., immediately 

 preceding the Sternoxi. 



The Fungicola are niade to include genera of such 

 different structure as Monotonia, Lathridius, Crypto- 

 phagus, TelmatopJiilus, Tritoma, Triplax, Endomychus, 

 Tdratoina, Mycetophagus, DipJiylliis, etc. 



The BosTRiciiiB/E present considerable resemblance 

 to the Ariobiides, from which they differ especially in 

 the structure of their tarsi, wherein the first joint is very 

 small, and the second and apical much enlarged. The 

 spurs to the tibise are also more developed, especially in 

 the front legs; the anterior coxse are very large; the 

 body is harder, and not so pubescent ; the head is not 



