64 FAMILIES OF PETALOCEEA WHICH LIVE 



similarity of construction in the genus Acanthocerus and 

 several of the Saprophagous RecUcera, such as Sphcerites 

 glabratus, (Hister glabratus F.) &c. But that character 

 which is as striking in the Saprophagous IlecttDdera as it 

 is in the three other columns forming the subject of this 

 work, — namely, the anterior tibiae being dentated, — is 

 often in the Trogidcz indistinct ; so that we have here an- 

 other proof of the absurdity of restricting nature to any 

 characters which are not obviously and directly founded 

 on the manner of living. 



Fam. V. DYNASTIES. 



Antenna? articulis decern, basilari longo, conico, hirsuto ; se- 

 cundo subgloboso ; 3° 4° 5° et 6° brevissimis trans- 

 versis, paulo sensim latioribus ; tribus ultimis capi- 

 titlum triphyllum ovatum sczpius breveformantibus. 



Labrum membranaceum, chjpeo sczpius fere penitus occul- 

 tatum, ejusque paging infera, adherens, margine 

 antico rotundato, sericeo pilorum fasciculo sczpius 

 jimbriato. 



Mandibulas sub trigones, cornea, basi crassez, latere ex- 

 terno sezpe eminulo, supra versus apicem concaved 

 vet planes, subtus convexiusculce . 



Maxillae dentatce vel inermes, caule crustaceo, processu 

 unico, corneo vel coriaceo, hirsuto vel setoso. 



Palpi maxillares articulo basilari minimo. 



Palpi labiales menti versus apicem inserti. 



Mentum pilosum, convexum, elongatum, labium occultmis, 

 apice obtuso vel truncato. 



Caput subtrigonum ; clypeo sezpe cornuto. Corpus subtus 



