342 SCOLYTIDJE. 



[LeConte. 



tiguous; middle and hind coxae moi'e or less separated; tibite compressed, 

 toothed or with transverse ridges on the outer side; armed with a terminal 

 hook at the inner apical angle. Tarsi in some. genera filiform and 5-jointed; 

 in others 4-jointed, with the third joint either narrow, or dilated and bi- 

 lobed; last joint long, with large, simple, divergent claws. 



The insects of this family are mostly of cylindrical form, and small size- 

 They are the most formidable enemies of trees, sometimes devastating the 

 forests, especially of conifers, by appearing in incredible numbers: the bur- 

 rows are chiefly between the wood and the bark, though some genera pene- 

 trate more deeply (Xi/loteres, ^c). The patterns made by them are complex 

 and vary according to genus and species; those of several European species 

 are figured in the excellent work of Ratzeburg,* and since descriptions of 

 our species are now accessible, so that their identification is easy, I trust 

 that those interested in the preservation of our forest trees may direct their 

 attention to this important subject. Specimens of the ravages of these in- 

 sects should be carefully collected, with individuals taken from the bur- 

 rows, and these should be deposited in soras museum where they will be 

 carefully preserved for future study. 



Since the publication of my revision of this family,f a few additional 

 species have been found, and a rene%ved study of the genera has rendered 

 necessary some modification of the classification there proposed. 



The great difftjrences exhibited by Platypus, and its allies, indicate the 

 proprietj'^ of separating them as a distinct sub-family, a course already 

 adopted by Lacordaire. 

 First joint of tarsi as long as the others united PLATYPODID^. 



" " " much shorter than the others 

 united SOOLYTID^. 



Sub-family I. PLATYPODID^. 



Head large, not covered by the prothorax, front wide, oblique or vertical ; 

 labrum small, but distinct. Beak wanting; eyes rounded, not convex, 

 finel}^ granulated in our species. Antennae with large scape (elongated and 

 curved in some foreign genera), and large compressed solid club, which is 

 pubescent except for a small space at the base; funicle composed of four 

 small joints. Prothorax elongate, truncate before and bisinuate behind; 

 subsinuate on the sides; flanks broadly excavated for reception of front legs. 

 Prosternum moderately long in front in the coxae, which are very large, 

 conical, exserted and contiguous in our species; space behind the coxae very 

 short. Pronotum considerably longer than the under surface; middle of 

 base notched for reception of the carina of the mesonotum. Mesosternum 

 triangular, middle coxae narrowly separated; episterna very large, quad- 

 rate, occupying the space formed by the prolongation of the pronotum; epi- 



*Die Forst-Insecten, Vol. i. 



fSynopsis of the Scolytidce of America, north of Mexico, by C. Zimmermann, 

 M.D., with notes and additions by J. L. LeConte, M.D. Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 1868, 



141. M 



