348 CLAVICORNIA. \Scapliisoma. 



the elytra become gradually pitchy-red towards apex, but this character 

 can hardly be relied on, as immature specimens of the former species are 

 often more or less light. L. 2 mm. 



In fungi, rotten wood, &c. ; not common ; Hyde Park, Caterham, Mickleham, 

 Snodland, Birch Wood, Bishops Wood, Whitstable ; Sussex ; New Forest ; Nettle- 

 comb (Somerset); Salford Priors; Hunstanton ; Needwood ; Scotland, very rare, 

 Solway district, " Dumfriesshire, Rev. W. Little," Murray's Cat. 



S. assimile, Er. This species resembles S. agaricinum in size and 

 shape, but differs in having its elytra more thickly punctured, and pitchy- 

 black with the apical half and lateral margins reddish-brown ; the 

 eighth joint of the antennas is scarcely shorter and very little thinner 

 than the ninth, and the seventh, ninth, tenth, and eleventh joints are 

 equal, and narrower and more attenuate than in that species ; from 

 S. boleti it may be known by its narrower build, longer thorax, darker 

 colour, and much more thickly punctured elytra, which have the sutural 

 stria3 more distinct, and the suture itself broadly keeled ; also by the 

 seventh joint of its antennae not being wider than the rest. L. 2 mm. 



Introduced by Mr. Eye (Ent. Monthly Mag. ii. 140) on a single 

 specimen taken at Coombe Wood ; he says of it, " My insect exhibits all 

 the characters, except the narrowness, as compared with S. boleti, but I 

 think it can hardly fail to be the true assimile " (Ent. Ann. 1866, 77). 



MYCETOPHAGID.E. 



This family, according to the Munich catalogue, contains fifteen 

 genera and sixty-four species ; as there constituted, however, it contains 

 the Diphyllina and Mycetceina, which are now removed from it by most 

 authors ; several new genera have been added by Keitter, who has 

 changed the name Mycetophagus to Tritoma, and therefore calls the 

 family Tritomidae ; some authors include the Byturidse under the family, 

 but they are separated by their 5-jointed tarsi, besides other characters. 

 The species of the Mycetophagidae, as here constituted, are distinguished 

 by having the tarsi 4-jointed, with the anterior tarsi 3-jointed in the 

 male ; the anterior coxal cavities are open ; they are more or less plainly 

 pubescent, and sometimes are very brightly coloured ; they are found in 

 fungi or under bark, and one or two occur in rubbish at the bottom of 

 haystacks, in granaries, &c. 



I. Elytra with distinct punctured striso or rows of 

 punctures. 



i. Thorax without basal furrows; eyes round (appear- 

 ance like a Cryptophagus) TTPHJEA, Curtis. 



ii. Thorax with a basal furrow on each side ; eyes 

 transverse* MYOETOPHAGTTS, Hellw. 



* This character applies to all our species, but in the case of one or two foreign 

 species appears not to be reliable. 



