540 i«v\i\iii,N' .win. lOl:()■l'^■MI).^o. 



nro of (1110 line. I'lie iiaiiic is hascd upon the typical gotius Erotijlus, 

 a Greek word meaiiiiio' '' i'rieiKlly" or "])lea.siiiii-." pi-ohahly in allu- 

 sion to the eoiitrastiMl colors of many tif Ihe sjx'cics. They occur for 

 the most ])ai't upon fleshy funpi growiuji' upon logs or trees, though 

 the meiuhers of the genus Lanfiiirla nro found ui)on ])lants and are 

 more or less injurious m hal)it. 



The Erotylidie are most closely allied to the p]]idomychid;e and 

 diffei- mainly in having the tarsi 5-jointed. but with the fourth joint 

 usually very small, the first three more or less broad and pubescent 

 beneath. The tliorax has not the deeply impressed sub-basal and 

 longitudinal lines so often seen in the Endomychida^, and the form 

 is usually more elongate and more convex. They have the mentum 

 of vai'iable form, its front margin bisinuate; maxillary palpi 4- 

 jointed. the fourth joint usually broadly triangular; antennas 11- 

 joiuted, inserted at the sides of the front, on the inner front margin 

 of the eyes, the last three or four joints forming a distinct club; 

 liead small, immersed in the thorax to the hind margin of the eyes; 

 thorax with side mai'gins distinct ; front coxal cavities usually closed 

 (open in Lmifjitria), always separated by the prosternum ; elytra 

 entire, covering the abdomen, the latter Avith five nearly equal seg- 

 ments ; tarsi claws simple. 



The larvffi of but few^ species of the family are well known. That 

 of Langnria mozardi, which bores into and feeds upon the stems of 

 clover, is elongate and subcylindrical, about 8 mm. in length, the 

 anal segment slightly narrower than the preceding. In color it is 

 light yellow, the mandibles and anal appendages ])rown. The larva 

 of a common fungus feeding form. Triioma humrraJis, is moderately 

 elongate, nearly cylindrical but tapering to each end, the ninth seg- 

 ment bearing two sliort. erect, slightly recurved hooks. In color it is 

 nearly white, the head yellowish. When full fed it pupates beneath 

 the ground, the pui)al stage lasting eight days. 



The principal literature^ treating of the North American species 

 of Eroljjiuhc is embodied in tlu^ following papers: 



LfCnnlf. — "Synopsis of the Erotylida of the United States." in 



I'roc. Pl.il. Acad. Nat. Sci.. VII, 1854, 158-163. 

 Crolcli. — "Synopsis of the Erotylida^ of Boreal America," in 



Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc.. IV. 1S7:^, 349-358. 

 WickJinui.- -"The JMidomychida' and Erotyliche of ()ntai-io and 



Quebec." in Can. Knt.. XXVI. 18;»4. 337-3:5!). 

 ScJut/J'er. — "Syno|)tic 'I'able ol' Langui'ia." i)i .jonrn. N. V. Ent. 



Soc, XII, 1!)()4, l!)8-2()0. 



