6 CLAVICOnXIA. 



grannlateJ ; tlie thorax is not, or scarcely, transverse, and is more or less 

 distinctly crenulate at the sides; the elytra are truncate and leave the 

 pygidiiun exposed; the tarsi are 3-jointed; the species are elongate and 

 more or less depressed, and are usually dull and strongly sculptured, 

 being more or less scabrous. 



Ziathridiidae. A rather extensive family of minute insects, the con- 

 stitution of which has not altogether been settled: form usually more or 

 less oval, with the head and thorax narrower than the elytra, but some- 

 times parallel or even filiform ; head varying in shape, but usually rather 

 large in proportion, antenna3 8-1 1 jointed, terminating in a more or less 

 distinct club ; maxillse with two lobes, maxillary palpi 4-jointed, with 

 the last joint large : anterior coxpe conical and prominent, with the coxal 

 cavities closed behind ; thorax variable in shape ; elytra covering 

 abdomen ; abdomen composed of five free ventral segments, of which 

 the first is the longest ; legs moderate, tarsi 3-jointed, with the first 

 joint elongate terminating in two small simple claws. 



Cucujidae. An extensive family, of which only a few outlying 

 members are found in Britain, and which is very differently constituted 

 by different authors : they are elongate or oblong, and more or less de- 

 pressed, insects ; the antennae are inserted at the margin of the front, 

 and are 1 1 -jointed, sometimes long and slender, sometimes with the apical 

 joints enlarged, and forming an indistinct club ; anterior coxae small, 

 with the cavities closed in some tribes and open in others ; thorax often 

 denticulate at sides; elytra covering abdomen in all our tribes; tarsi 

 5-jointed in both sexes, or with the posterior tarsi occasionally 4-jointed 

 in the males, first joint usually very small, 



Byturidae. A very doubtful family which has been placed in very 

 different positions by various authors, and can only be considered as 

 located provisionally ; the single genus, of which it consists, is distin- 

 guished by its 5-jointed tarsi, of which the fourth joint is small, and the 

 second and third joints are lobed beneath, and by having the anterior 

 coxal cavities narrowly closed behind, as well as by its toothed claws ; 

 the antennae are inserted before the eyes and terminate in a loose 3-jointed 

 club ; the abdomen is composed of five free equal segments ; the genus 

 appears to be most closely related to the Telmatophilina, but also bears 

 strong affinities to the Mycetophagidte and the Xitidulidse^ as will be seen 

 by a comparison of their characters. 



Cryptophag"id». An extensive family of minute insects which 

 are easily distinguished from the Lathridiidre by having the tarsi all 

 5-jointed in both sexes or heteromerous in the males ; in some respects 

 they approach certain of the Cucujidee, from which they may be known 

 by the distinct club of the antennaj and the longer first ventral 

 segment ; the form is variable, being either oblong, oval, or almost 

 circular, and the pubescence and sculpture is also very different in the 

 various genera; the antenna^ are 11-jointed, and are inserted at the sides 



