INSECT ENEMIES OF EASTERN FORESTS 159 
The larvae feed in moist, decaying wood and are reported as caus- 
ing damage to buildings, railroad ties, and poles, and to mine props in 
South Africa, where, “according to Pringle (358), this species may 
have been introduced with lumber from North America. 
Famitry RHYSODIDAE 
Clincdium sculptile Newm. is a small, elongate, depressed beetle, 
from 5 to 8 mm. in length, reddish brown, with the thorax and elytra 
deeply grooved. The “head is globular on a distinct neck, and the 
antennae are made up of slender beadlike joints. The larvae are soft- 
bodied and fleshy, with rows of tiny asperities on the dorsum of two 
thoracic and six abdominal segments. The legs are short and five- 
jointed, the fifth segment bearing a single movable claw, as in Cupes. 
Although related to this form, they lack the terminal armature and 
molar structure on the mandible, and the labial palpi are lacking. 
They breed in moist, decaying logs and are of no economic importance, 
but are of interest because their larvae are peculiar and similar to those 
of Cupes. 
Famity STAPHYLINIDAE 
The Short-Winged, or Rove, Beetles 
The rove beetles constitute a large group of insects easily recognized 
because the wing covers are decidedly shortened so that the flexible 
abdomen is exposed. The abdomen is often turned back over the 
body as the insects run about with considerable speed. They are 
usually elongate, slender, medium-sized beetles with prominent sickle- 
shaped mandibles. 
The larvae are much more difficult to characterize, as they can 
easily be confused with several other families inhabiting similar sit- 
uations. In addition, they represent several radically different types. 
In general, they are elongate, slender, t tapering forms, of whitish ap- 
pearance, having the head prominent and projecting, well-developed 
legs of five joints, and usually jointed movable cerci on the ninth 
abdominal segment. The mandible is of the grasping type without 
erinding structure, the cardo and stipes are distinct, and the spiracles 
annular. 
These beetles are of extremely variable habits. They are adapted 
to living under many conditions in the forests, such as in the soil 
litter, under stones and logs, in all sorts of decaying vegetable and 
animal matter, and in nests of birds, mammals. and insects. The 
records of the forest-insect collections contain references to over 50 
genera of the family Staphylinidae found on forest trees or associated 
with insects feeding on them. The forms most frequently met by the 
forester occur under the bark of trees infested by bark beetles. These 
are primarily scavengers, but a number are predaceous on eggs and 
larvae of bark beetles and other bark -inhabiting insects. Several of 
the more common forms in this habitat are Homoeotarsus bicolor 
(Grav.), Eumalus nigrellus (Lec.), Homatota spp., Omalium spp., 
Placusa spp., Quedius spp.. Siagonium spp., and Xantholinus spp. 
Several species of Zachinus are common on woody fungi on logs. 
792440°—49—__11 
