334 MANDIDULATA. — COLEOFTERA. 



Genus DXLI. — Proteinus, Latreille. 



AiitenncE distinctly clavatCj the basal joint very large, obconic, the second 

 slightly thickened;, short, five following short, nodose, three next distinctly 

 larger, perfoliate, the terminal one still larger, ovate, subacuminate. Falpi 

 maxillary subulate, the penultimate joint incrassaled, the apical one slender, 

 acicular : head triangular : eyes prominent : thorax very short, transverse, 

 truncate before and behind, anterior angles deflexed, posterior straight, 

 somewhat acute : scutellum minute : elytra simple, short, half as long as the 

 abdomen : body short, more or less ovate : legs slender, simple ; tarsi pen- 

 tamerous. 



From most of the genera of this family the present genus may be 

 known by the superior length of the elytra, which are above half that 

 of the abdomen and sometimes more ; their form is ovate, and the 

 antennae are distinctly clavate, the three terminal joints forming the 

 club : they reside in fungi and beneath moss, Sic, are found at all 

 times, though chiefly in the spring and summer. 



Sp. 1. brachypterus. Ater, subpubescens, antennis ariiculo primo, palpis pedibusque 

 testaceis. (Long. corp. f lin.) 



Der. brachypterus. PaykuU. — Pr. brachypterus. Steph. Caial. 295. No. 3228. 



Black, slightly pubescent: head prominent, nearly triangular, with a minute 

 fovea on each side : thorax truncate before and behind, smooth, with a small 

 fovea in front of the suture : the hinder angles acute, the lateral margins 

 ferruginous : elytra black, finely rugose-punctate, with the hinder margins 

 obscurely reddish : abdomen shining, smooth, with the lateral margins ele- 

 vated, the apex acute and pitchy-red : legs slender, pale rufous : antenn(E 

 black, with the basal ]omX. testaceous : palpi testaceous. 



Found, but not very abundantly, in the vicinity of the metropolis : 

 also taken in Suffolk, Norfolk, and Devonshire. " In putrid fungi in 

 the woods at Penllergare." — L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. " Raehills." — 

 Rev. W. Little. 



Sp. 2. clavicornis. Oblongus, niger, Imvis, antennis capitato-clavatis nigris, 

 pedibus ferrugineis. (Long. corp. | lin.) 



Pr. clavicornis. Kirby MSS.— Steph. Catal. 295. No. 3229. 



Oblong, black, slightly shining, serrate, rather convex : head unequal, narrower 

 than the thorax, with a slight fovea on each side : thorax with the base and 

 apex truncate, the disc slightly convex, smooth : elytra more than twice as 

 long as the thorax, smooth, with their apex concolorous : abdomen very short. 



