HETEROMERA. 3 
ia; arse. clawsipectimate >. fees) ts .<tas.s clas. ©, . GISTELIDE. 
(Alleculida.) 
wpe Anterior coxal cavities open behind, 
. Anterior cox globose or ovate. 
1. Head not suddenly constricted behind eyes. 
A. Thorax subovate, or cordiform, narrowed in front and 
usually narrowed behind, often narrower at base than 
apex, and narrower at base than base of elytra. . . PYTHIDE. 
B. Thorax not narrower at base than at apex, and not, 
or scarcely, narrower at base than base of elytra . . MELANDRYID#. 
2. Head suddenly constricted behind eyes; thorax not 
narrower at base than elytra. 
A. Posterior tibia as long as the tarsi; tarsal claws with 
arudimentary tooth at base; penultimate joint of tarsi 
strongly bilobed . . . SCRAPTIIDR. 
B. Posterior tibia much shorter than the tarsi ; = "tarsal 
claws usually plainly toothed; penultimate joint of 
tarsisimple .. . » . « » + MORDELLIDZ, 
. Anterior coxe long, prominent and conical. 
me Head strongly and suddenly constricted behind. 
A. Thorax at base not narrower than base of elytra . . RHIPIDOPHORIDR. 
B. Thorax at base plainly narrower than base of elytra. 
a. Tarsal claws split from base toapex . . . . . MELOIDE. 
b. Tarsal claws not split. 
a*, Antenne long, serrate or pectinate; head ex- 
serted, horizontal; size large . PYROCHROIDE. 
bes Antenne moderate or long, filiform (in « our 
species) ; head deflexed ; size very small. 
af. Penultimate joint of the tarsi minute, hidden 
within the lobes of the preceding joint, which is 
strongly bilobed ; head constricted aay 
behind the eyes, which are large . XYLOPHILIDE. 
bf. Penultimate joint of tarsi not minute, bilobed ; 
head constricted at some distance behind the 
eyes, which are moderate or small. . . . ANTHICIDE. 
2. Head not strongly and suddenly constricted into a neck 
hehwidwewetys. 2) <9. c0 fe ys. wy ey cae eo, « bee DEMERTD AR. 
TENEBRIONIDZA. 
This important family contains a very large number of genera and 
species, which are distributed over the whole surface of the globe; in 
the Munich catalogue, published in 1870, four thousand five hundred 
species are enumerated, but this number has been largely increased since 
that time, and is perpetually being added to ; although their distribution 
is almost universal, yet in some large districts it appears to be very 
uneven, more especially in North America, where they form the 
characteristic feature of the Coleopterous fauna in California, but in the 
eastern portions of the continent are scarce; in Europe the family is 
represented by about one hundred and twenty five genera, and several 
hundred species, but in Britain only about thirty species, representing, 
however, some nineteen genera, have hitherto been discovered ; these 
may be subdivided and classified under the tribes below mentioned, but 
it is obvious that with our very limited fauna any classification is un- 
B 2 
