COLEOPTERA. 457 



The antennae of some are not distinctly perfoliate at the extremity, 

 the last joints being almost globular. They are the Phosphuga, Id. * 



A species from Germany, which might form a separate subgenus — 

 Necrophilus, Lat. — is removed from the preceding ones by several 

 characters. It is the 



S. suhferranea, lUig., and ethers. The four anterior tarsi are 

 similar and dilated at base, the two first joints, at least in the 

 males, being evidently broader than the two following ones. 

 The third joint of the antennae is longer than the preceding one, 

 and the five last form abruptly a perfoliaceous club. The last 

 joint of the maxillary palpi is as long as the two preceding ones 

 taken together. 



Argyrtes, Fresh. — Mycetophagus, Fab. 



The body tolerably thick, convex, and arcuated superiorly, not 

 scutiform; thorax somewhat wider than long, and a little narrower 

 before ; exterior margin of the elytra inclined and not canaliculated ; 

 last joint of the maxillary palpi thicker and ovoid f . 



Certain Clavicornes, which seem to approach Argyrtes in their 

 habits and other characters, but whose mandibles are cleft or biden- 

 tated at the extremity, will compose ovir fifth tribe, that of the Sca- 

 PHiDiTEs. Their tarsi consist "of five very distinct and entire joints. 

 The body is oval, narrowed at both ends, arcuated or convex above, 

 and thick in the middle ; the head low, and received posteriorly into 

 a trapezoidal thorax, widest behind, the margin of which is but 

 slightly or not at all recurved. The antennae are usually at least as 

 long as the head and thorax, and terminated m a quadriarticulated 

 and elongated club. The last joint of the palpi is conical. The legs 

 are elongated and slender. With the exception of some species — the 

 Cholevae — the tarsi are nearly similar in both sexes. 



This tribe consists of the genus 



SCAPHIDIUM. 



ScAPHiDiuM, Oliv. Fab. — Silpha, Lin. 



In the true Schaphidia, the five last joints of the antennae are almost 

 globular, and compose the club. The maxillary palpi project but 

 little, and gradually taper to a point, the penultimate joint not being 

 thicker than the last at their junction. The body is navicelliform ; 

 the margin of the thorax slightly recurved, and the elytra truncated. 



* S. atrata, Fab. ; — S. pedemontana, Id., var. ; Oliv., lb., I, 6. 



t Argi/rtes castaneits, Gyllen., Insect., Suec. I, iii, p. 682; Mycetophagus castaneus, 

 Fab.; M. spinipes, Panz., Faun. Insect. Germ. XXIV, 20. I suspect the A. sub- 

 mger, Dej., is merely the female. 



