THE DEATH-WATCH AKD DEUG STORE BEETLES. 863 



9 to ll-jointed; head retractile, usually protected by the thorax; 

 labrum distinct; thorax with the side pieces not separate; elytra 

 entire, with distinct epipleurse ; abdomen with five free ventral seg- 

 ments; front and middle coxae cylindrical or sub-globose, the coxal 

 cavities rounded, open behind; hind coxae transverse; tarsi five- 

 jointed. 



The larva; of the Ptinidse occur -with the adults, and are white, 

 soft, grub-like creatures, covered with short, stiff hairs or bristles, 

 and when at rest lie in a cur^-ed position like the common white 

 grubs of the genus Larlnwsterim. They have six legs, but usually 

 move by drawing themselves along on their sides. Only a few spe- 

 cies, comprising those feeding upon drugs and upon the wood of 

 living trees, are economically important and injurious. The others 

 may be classed as innoxious. 



The principal literature treating of the North American forms 

 is as follows: 



LcConic. — "Prodromus of a ^Monograph of the Species of the 

 Tribe Anobiini. the Family Ptinidaj inhabiting North Amer- 

 ica," in Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1865, 222-244. 

 Fall, H. C. — "Kevision of the Ptinidse of Boreal America," in 



Trans. Amer. Ent Soc, XXXI. 1905, 97-296. 

 Casey. — "Studies in the Ptinida\ Cioida? and Sphindidaa of 



America," //( Journ. X. Y. Ent. Soe.. VI, 1898. 61-93. 

 LeConte and Horn, in their "Classification," and Henshaw, in 

 his Cheek List, recognize four subfamilies of Ptinidse. Pall, in his 

 latest work, recognizes but tAvo. viz., Piinime and Anohiiii'i, rele- 

 gating the Lyciina to the family Cncujidse, as proposed by ilaj. 

 Casey, and proposing a separate and independent family for the 

 subfamily Bostrichinn. Sharp regards these two subfamilies as 

 forming the family Bostrichidac, and they are so recognized in the 

 present paper. 



Fall, in his Revision, records 53 genera and 259 species of 

 Ptinidffi as belonging to the North American fauna. 



KET TO SUBFAMILTES OF PTINID^. 



a. Antennae inserted upon the front of head and rather close together at 

 base; thorax without side margin. 



Subfamily I. Ptixix.e. p. SG4. 

 aa. Antennae inserted on the sides of head in front of eyes and usually dis- 

 tant at base ; thorax usually margined at sides. 



Subfamily II. Axobiin.'e, p. Sfiii. 

 [55—23402] 



