Ptinido).'] BERRICORHIA. 179 



mandibles ; the thoracic segments resemble those of the abdomen, which latter is 

 made up of nine segments, the last of which is simple, and is not furnished with 

 cerci or projections. 



The British genera belonging to the family may be divided a 

 follows : 



I. Elytra punctured and pubescent. 



i. Antenna) contiguous or almost contiguous at base ; tarsi 

 with the fifth joint longer and narrower; elytra striated. 



1. Scutelliuii distinct; tarsi with the fifth joint a little 



longer than second PTINUS, L. 



2. Scutellum not distinct ; tarsi with the fifth joint 



much longer than second NIPTDS, Boield. 



ii. A nt i' n n:i> more distant at base ; tarsi with the fifth joint 



very short and broad ; elytra not striated HKDOBIA, Sturm. 



II. Elytra smooth and glabrous, much inflated. 



i. Thorax strongly pubescent M K/I r \i, Curt. 



ii. Thorax glabrous GIBBIUM, Scop. 



PTINUS, Linne*. (BmcJius, Geoffrey.) 



This genus contains upwards of a hundred species, which are very 

 widely distributed throughout the world, species occurring in Ceylon, 

 New Zealand, Siberia, Kamtschatka, Brazil, Peru, Tahiti, &c.; some of 

 the species have been rendered almost cosmopolitan through being trans- 

 ported in articles of commerce ; P. fur is often very injurious to Natural 

 History collections; it is said also to feed upon old woollen clothes, and 

 occasionally to do great damage to wheat deposited in granaries; about 

 fifty species are found in Europe, of which six have usually been in- 

 cluded in the British lists; one or two others, however, have been found 

 in Britain, but they have probably been imported; I have also placed 

 P. latro in the doubtful category, as very little appears to be known 

 about it. 



I. Tarsi with the fourth joint bilobed, broader than third ; 



elytra oblong in both sexes P. GBBMAKUS, F. 



II. Tarsi with the fourth joint not or scarcely bilobed, 



narrower than the third joint. 

 i. Elytra oblong, with shoulders well marked in both 



sexes. P. sBXPimcTiTua, Pang. 



ii. Elytra, at least in female, considerably rounded at 

 sides. 



1. Thorax with central furrow indistinct P. LICHBNUX , Marsh. 



2. Thorax with central furrow broadly and strongly 



marked behind. 



A. Elytra less coarsely punctured, with setae 



shorter P. TUB, 7 . 



B. Elytra more coarsely punctured, with seta 



longer P. BUBPILOSUB, Mull. 



P. g-ermanua, F. (pallitttua, Ferris ; ruflpes, Steph. 111.). Of a 

 pitchy-brown colour, irregularly sprinkled with more or less distinct 

 patches of white pubescence, and with the shoulders of the elytra 

 lighter ; head rather large, with the eyes prominent, antennae very 



N 2 



