44S INSECTA. 



thorax the width of the abdomen, at least at base; the antennse 

 either uniform and serrated or pectinated, or terminated by three 

 joints much larger than the preceding ones ; they are shorter than 

 the body. 



Ptilinus, Geoff. Oliv. — Ptinus, Lin. 



The antennae from the third joint strongly pectinated or plumose 

 (en panache) in the males, and serrated in the females. 



They inhabit dry wood, which they pierce with small holes. There 

 also they copulate, one of the sexes being without and suspended in 

 air *. In the 



Xyletinus, Lat. — Ptilinus, Fab. 



To which we will unite the Ochina of Ziegler and Dejean, the 

 antennse are simply serrated in both sexes f. 



DoRCATOMA, Herbst., Fab. 



The antennae consisting of but nine joints, terminating suddenly 

 in three larger ones; the two penultimate joints resembling the 

 teeth of a saw if. 



Anobium, Fab., Oliv. Ptinus, Lin. — Byrrhus, Geoff. 



The antennse also terminated by three larger or longer joints, but 

 the two penultimates are in the form of a reversed and elongated 

 cone, and that of the end is oval or nearly cylindrical ; they consist 

 of eleven joints. 



Several species of this genus inhabit the interior of our houses, 

 where, in their larva state, they are very noxious, attacking the tim- 

 bers, furniture, books, &c., and piercing little round holes in them 

 similar to those made by a very small gimblet. Their excrements 

 form those little pulverulent piles of wood-dust which are frequently 

 observed on floors. The larvae of other species of Anobium attack 

 flour, wafers, cabinets of Birds, Insects, &c. 



Both sexes, in the nuptial season, frequently summon each other 



by reiterated and rapid strokes of their mandibles against the wood 



they inhabit, and mutually answering the signal. Such is the cause 



of that noise, resembling the accelerated tick of a watch, which is 



so often heard, and which is superstitiously called the death-\catch. 



A. tesselatum, Fab.; Oliv., Col. II, 16, i. 1, Three lines in 



length; dead dusky brown, with yellowish spots formed by 



hairs ; thorax smooth ; elytra not striated. 



A. pertinax ; Ptiinis pertinax, L. ; A. striatum. Fab. ; Oliv. 

 lb. I, 4. Blackish ; thorax with a yellowish spot at each poste- 

 rior angle, and near the middle of its base a compressed eminence 



* Ptilinus pectinicornis,'Fzti. ; Oliv., Col. II, 17, bis, 1, 1 ; — P. pectinaius, Fab.; 

 —P. serratus, Id. ; Ptinus denticornis, var. ; Panz., lb. VI, 9 ; XXXV, 9. 



■f- Pliliyuts pallens, Germ. ; — Ptinus serricornis, Fab, In the Ochina hcderce, the 

 antennae are somewhat larger than those of the Xyletini, rather less serrated, the 

 second and third joints almost equal in length. I have not examined the other 

 species of Ochinae mentioned by Count Dejean in his Catalogue; 



X Dwcatoma dnsdensis, Herbst., Col. IV. xxxix, 8. 



