INSECTS. COLEOPTEEA, 



The insects of this genus are of small size, and inhabit southern Africa and the 

 East Indies. 



P. microcephalus, Lin. Body blackish brown ; last joint of the an* 

 tennae irregular, narrowed at its base, the exterior side quadri- 

 dentated, and prolonged below into an unidentated hook ; a de- 

 pression in the middle of the thorax. Africa. Shaw, vi. pi. 12. 



TRIBE IV. TROGOSSITARII. 

 Antennae with eleven joints. 



I. Body almost globular or oval ; extremity of the antennae at least perfoliated. 



Gen. MYCETHOPHAGUS, TRIPHYLLUM, DIPHYLLUM, LITHOPHAGUS, 

 AGATHIDIUM. 



II. Body narrow and elongated. 



1. Club of the antennae with two joints. 



Gen. DITOMA, LYCTUS, DIODESMA. 



2. Club of the antennae of three or more joints. 



A. Antennae scarcely longer than the head. 



Gen. COLYDIUM. 



B. Antennae distinctly longer than the head. 



a. Mandibles small or of medium size, slightly or not projecting. 

 * Palpi very short ; the maxillary ones slightly or not projecting. 



Gen. LATRIDIUS, SYLVAN us. 

 ** Maxillary palpi projecting. 

 Gen. MERYX. 



b. Mandibles strong and advanced. 



Gen. TROGOSSITA, PROTOSMIS, (Megagnatha, Dejean.) 



Gen. TROGOSSITA, Fab. Lat. 



Antennae simple, terminated by three distinct joints, slightly 

 clavate ; jaws short, almost coriaceous, ciliated, dentated at 

 their base ; labrum coriaceous, transverse square ; mandibles 

 strong and advanced ; palpi short ; body elongated ; tarsi 

 with four joints. 



T. caraboides, Fab. Body blackish above, brown below ; antennae 



brown, scarcely larger than the head ; thorax margined with a 



small projecting tooth at the lateral angles ; elytra striated, and 



between each two rows of impressed points ; feet brown. Inhabits 



France, Italy, and the Levant Lat. Hist. xi. pi. 91, fig. 8. 



The larva of this species is of a white colour, about eight lines long and one broad, 



and the body is composed of twelve segments, rough with scattered hairs. The head 



is black, hard, and scaly, and armed with two arched horny mandibles. The last 



segment is terminated by two corneous hooks. In the southern provinces of France 



this larva makes great depredations on the wheat in granaries, and many means 



have been devised to stop its ravages. In northern countries it is unknown. 



FAMILY III. PLATYSOMA, Cucujipes. 

 All the joints of the tarsi entire ; body oblong, depressed, with 

 the head triangular or cordiform, as broad as the body, but 

 narrowed posteriorly into a kind of neck ; mandibles project- 

 ing, particularly in the males ; labrum small ; palpi short ; 

 thorax almost square ; antennae filiform. 



