INSECTA. 
446 
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 
antennae are simply serrated in both sexes f. 
Dorcatoma, Herhst., Fab. 
The antennae consisting of but nine joints, terminating suddenly 
in three larger ones; the two penultimate joints resembling the 
teeth of a saw J. 
Anobium, Fab., Oliv. Ptinus, Lin. — Byrrhus, Geoff. 
The antennae also terminated by three larger or longer joints, but 
the tAVO 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, 
Avhere, in their lai’A’^a 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 Avood-dust Avhich are frequently 
obsei’A'^ed on floors. The lai’A’^ae of other species of Anobium attack 
flour, AA’afers, 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 ansAA^ering the signal. Such is the cause 
of that noise, resembling the accelerated tick of a AA'atch, Avhich is 
so often heard, and Avhich is superstitiously called the death-watch. 
A. tesselatum. Fab.; OUal, Col. II, 16, i. 1. Three lines in 
length ; dead dusky broAvn, Avith yelloAvish spots formed by 
hairs ; thorax smooth ; elytra not striated. 
A. pertinax; Ptinus pertinax, L. ; A. striatum. Fab.; Oliv. 
Ib. I, 4. Blackish ; thorax Avith a yelloAvish spot at each poste- 
rior angle, and near the middle of its base a compressed eminence 
* Pfilinics pecfinicornis, Fah. ; Oliv., Col. II, 17, bis, I, I ; — P. pectinatus, Fab.; 
— P. serrafus, Id. ; Ptinus denticornis, \'ar. ; Panz., Ib. VI, 9 ; XXXV, 9. 
d* Ptilinus pallens, Germ. ; — Ptinus serricornis, Fab, lu 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 Ochinse mentioned by Count Dejean in his Catalogue; 
J Dorcatoma dresdensis, Herbst., Col. IV. xxxix, 8. 
