﻿THE PSEUDOTRIMERA. 227 



joint, from which latter structure they were termed 

 Clavipalpi by Latreille. 



We possess three genera, Engis, Triplax, and Tri- 

 toma; all the species of which feed in fungi. These, 

 with Endomychus and Lycoperdina, are placed by Thom- 

 son between the Cryptophagidce and Mycetophagidce in 

 the Necrophaga. 



Our species of Engis are found in profusion in fungi 

 on trees ; they are shining, somewhat quadrate-elongate 

 and convex, polished, dark, and {Immeralis) with either 

 the thorax and shoulders of the elytra reddish -yelloAv, . 

 or [rufifrons) with only the shoulders of that colour. In- 

 dividuals are often found entirely testaceous or brown. 



Triplax, — the largest species of which {russicus) is not 

 uncommon, — is very like Tetratoma, having a red thorax 

 and blue-black elytra, being of the same build, and oc- 

 curring in similar places : the three-jointed club to its 

 antennae will, however, readily distinguish it. 



Tritoma bipustulata (Plate XV, Fig. 4), not uncom- 

 mon in fungoid growth under bark, or on the rotten 

 stumps of felled trees, is more rounded and convex than 

 its allies. 



The CocciNELLiD^ {Aphidiphagi of Latreille, and 

 Securipalpes of Mulsant) are hemispherical and convex 

 above and flat beneath, with elytra covering the abdo- 

 men, and never truncate or punctate-striate ; a short 

 transverse thorax, short antennae, in which the club is 

 three-jointed and flat; the last joint of the maxillary 

 palpi hatchet-shaped ; the mandibles bifid at the tip ; 

 the labrum broad and laterally rounded ; the legs short 

 with contractile tibiae, and the second joint of the tarsi 

 large and deeply bilobed. 



To Coccinella, — the principal genus in this family, — 



Q 2 



