ORDER COLEOPTERA. 389 



hololepta, but a single range of small spines, and live also 

 under the bark of trees, compose the genera platysoma and 

 DENDRopHiLus of Dr. Leach. The first* does not differ from 

 the second, {H.punctatus^ ejusd. VII. 5,) but that the body 

 is flatted above, and the corslet is shorter and narrowed in 

 front. A species of the same division {H. proboscideus, Payk. 

 Monog. VIII. 4,) has a peculiar form. Its body is long 

 and narrow, with the corslet more than half as long as broad. 



The others have two ranges of spines to the four posterior 

 limbs. These are the only ones that Dr. Leach leaves in the 

 genus Hister. 



H. unicolor. Lin. Payk. ibid. II., four lines in length ; 

 entirely black, shining ; three denticulations to the external 

 side of the first two legs ; two stride on each side of the 

 corslet, and four on the external side of each case, of their 

 length, and that which is nearest to the edge is interrupted. 

 Very common. 



The number of denticulations of the legs, that of the striae 

 of the corslet and the elytra, their punctuation, and the form 

 of the body, have supplied M. Paykull with excellent 

 characters, by means of which he has very well distinguished 

 the species. 



A last division of this tribe comprehends the very small 

 histeroides, Avith thick and almost globular body, whose 

 praesternum but little, or not at all compressed laterally, 

 and not advanced on the mouth, is straight in front. In 

 some (AbrcEus, Leach,) it is prolonged as far as the anterior 

 angles of the corslet, and covers the antennae entirely in 

 their state of contraction. It is more narrow in others, 

 (oNTHOPHiLUs ejusdem) ; but here the knob of the antennae 

 is lodged in an orbicular and very distinct cavity, situated 



* Hister j)kij)es. Fab. Payk., ibid. VIII. 5; H. Jlavicornis, ejusd. \iU., 

 6 ; H. oblongus, ejusd. X. 3. 



