518 INSECT A. • 



Meryx, Lat. 



Is dislinguisht:d from th6 following subgenera by the maxillary 

 palpi — always salient — which are terminated by a larger joint in the 

 form of a reversed triangle(l). 



Dasyceuus, Drong. 



Although the tarsi of the Dasyceri present but three joints, they 

 are connected with this family by other affinities. The two first 

 joints of their antenna: arc globular, the ibllowing ones very small, 

 capillary and pilose, and the three last also pilose and globular. 

 The head is triangular and distinct from the thorax. The maxillary 

 palpi arc salient, small and subulate. The thorax and the elytra are 

 sulcated. The a"bdomcn is almost globular(2). • '* 



Latridius, Herbst. — Tcncbrio, Lin. — Dcrmcstes, Fab. 



Where the palpi are very short and subulate j the head and thorax 

 are narrower than the abdomen; the first joint of the antennae is very 

 stout and globular, and the following ones, to the tenth inclusively, 

 are almost obconical, glabrous, or simply pubescent; the last*is 

 larger than the preceding ones and ovoid. Tlie thorax is wider than 

 it is Fong or almost isometrical, and the abdomen, square or almost 

 oyal(3). 



SiLVANus, Lat. Gyll. — Dermestes, Fab. 



Where the body is nearly linear or almost forn>s a parellelopiped; 

 the thorax, longer than it is broad, is as* wide as the anterior part of 

 the abdomen; the first joints of the .antennae are nearly equal, almost 

 (urbiniform, and the last is nearly glopular; the palpi are almost 

 filifoi-m, and the anterior extremity of the head is somewhat elon- 

 gated into a sort of triangular and ol>tuse snout(4). , 



Sometimes the mandibles are entirely exposed, salient and robust. 

 The body is geqerally elongate*d, narrow and depressed. These In- 

 sects form the genus 



Trogosita, ^Uv. Fab. — Platycerus^ Geoff. 



In some, the antennae are shorter than the thorax, or at most of an 



(1) Lat., Gener. Crust, et Insect., Ill, p. 17, and I, xi, 1. 



(2) See Dumeril, Diet, des Sc. Nat., where this Insect is well figured, and 

 Arrh., Faun. Insect. Eur., IV, 5. 



(3) See Lat., Ibid., and Gyllenh., Insect. Suec, I, iv, 123. 



(4) See Lat. and Gyllenh., op. cit. 



