THE DEATH-\\'ATCJI AND DRUG STOJEtE BEETLES. 865 



II. Ptinis Linn. 1767. (Clr., "to decay or destroy.") 



Antennfe filiform, first joint robust, second smallest, 3 to 11 

 elongate, subequal; elj'tra variously clothed with recumbent hairs 

 or scales and erect bristles. Two species are in the coUeetion from 

 the State, and four others probably occur, two of them having been 

 taken by Dury at Ciucinnati. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF PTINUS. 



a. Elytra dissimilar ia form in the sexes; elongate, subparallel in male; 

 oval, more or less swollen in female; fourth ventral segment short; 

 female without inner wings. 

 6. Setae of elytral intervals equal or subequal in length. 



0. Erect hairs of elytra shorter ; sub-basal and subapical patches of 

 pale scales on elytra conspicuous, especially in the female; head 

 alutaceous. 1650. fde. 



ex. Erect hairs of elytra longer ; sub-basal and subapical spots of scales 

 wanting on male elytra, represented on those of female by coarse 

 appressed hairs on the humeral region only ; surface of head pol- 

 ished. 1651. BEUNNEUS. 

 66. Alternate elytral intervals with longer erect hairs ; length 2.5-3.5 mm. 



VILUGEB. 



aa. Elytra oblong, more or less elongate, in both sexes; fourth ventral seg- 

 ment longer ; both sexes winged. 

 d. Elytra without recumbent hairs in addition to the erect ones; color 

 black, head, thorax and sometimes base of elytra rufous. paijj:. 

 dd. Elytra with pale recumbent hairs in addition to erect ones. 



e. Black, the humeri and apex of elytra bright rufous ; elytra with 

 post-humeral and anteapical bands of white recumbent hairs con- 

 spicuous. BIMACUIATDS. 

 ee. Rufous; elytra with a broad black or piceous median band, inter- 

 nipted at suture ; male with form very elongate and antennae as 

 long as body; thorax not swollen. quadbimacuiatus. 



1650 (5239). Ptinus fue Linn., Syst. Xat, II, ITGG, 566. 



Elongate-oval, male ; oval, more robust, female. Pale brown or dull 

 reddish-yellow, male ; darker brown, female. Thorax a little narrower than 

 head, nearly as wide as long, sides parallel in front, strongly constricted be- 

 hind; disk feebly tuberculate and with a tuft of yellowish hairs each side 

 of median impressed line. Elytra elongate, parallel, with prominent humeri, 

 male; elongate-oval without humeri, female; strise slightly impressed, 

 coarsely punctate; surface with patches of pale scales behind the humeri 

 and on apical third, these conspicuous, especially in female. Length 2.S- 

 3.5 mm. 



Hamilton and Posey counties ; scarce. June 7-July 12. Prob- 

 ably throughout the State. Aji Old AYorld species, widely dis- 

 seminated by commerce. Said to be often injurious to museum 

 specimens. 



