CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 221 



linear body ; soft fore wings. Inhabits flowers, 

 flying readily and in the day-time. Notoxus, 

 Anthicus, Xylophilus. 



744. Wood-boring beetles {Ptinites). Larva, 

 with the articulate feet distinct, incrassated in the 

 middle, narrower towards the tail, often covered 

 with bristles. Commonly inhabits dry wood, 

 through which it bores in all directions, reducing 

 it to a powder. Pupa changes in the galleries 

 made by the larva. Imago with long antennae 

 generally filiform, but in some of the males highly 

 pectinated ; the mandibles strong and toothed ; 

 the head retractile within the protiiorax ; the 

 prothorax more or less spherical ; the fore wings 

 completely covering the body, and having often 

 an inflated appearance. Inhabits the habitations 

 of the larva, and occasionally flowers. rUlinus, 

 Ptinus, Anohium, Mezium, Gibbium. 



745. Ant-beetles (Clerites). Larva in struc- 

 ture like the preceding order, but more elongate, 

 and less commonly hairy. Feeds on the larva 

 of the preceding order, and occasionally of some 

 Hymenoptera. Imago with the antenna; in- 

 crassated externally ; the mandibles bifid ; the 

 maxillae obtuse ; the prothorax is long, slender, 

 cylindrical, of less circumference than the head 

 or body. Necrobia, Clems, Opilus, Thanasimus, 



Tillus. 



746. Melyrites (Melyrites). Larva elongate, 

 soft, pubescent, gradually incrassated posteriorly ; 



