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THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. LIV 



With the exception of the species belonging to the Histeridce. 

 and part of the Trogositidm, which are predaceous, it is extremely- 

 probable that most of the remainder are fungus eaters, x as some 

 were taken breeding in and others on or in the fungi. In addi- 

 tion to what might be called the fungus habit of some of the 

 members of the above named families, it might be of interest to 

 note other family habits in a general way and this can be pre- 

 sented best in a tabular form. 



Other Family Habits op Coleoptera found in Polypores 



Hydrophilidae Aquatic and terrestrial, found in moist earth, 



Staphylinidae Varied, predaceous, feeders on decayed vegetation. 



Scaphidiidae Living in rotten wood, gill fungi. 



Erotylidae In fungoid growths, stems of plants. 



Mycetophagidae Under bark and in fungus. 



Histeridse Predaceous. 



Nitidulidae Varied, sap beetles, in fungi or dry animal and 



Trogositidae Predaceous, a few in granaries, fungi. 



Ptinidae On dry animal and vegetable products. 



Bostrychidae In dry wood. 



«sid8B In fungi or wood penetrated by fungi. 



Scarabaeida; Varied, in excrement, decaying vegetation, etc. 



Tenebrionida? Scavengers, on dead or dry wood, vegetable prod- 

 ucts, in granaries. 



Melandryidae In dry vegetable matter. 



Mordellidae On flowers, dead trees, in plant stems. 



Anthribidae On dead wood, on fungi. 



The members of the Cisidai and Mycetophagidce appear to be 

 the only ones confined almost exclusively to fungi. It is quite 

 probable, however, that such members of the other families as are 

 listed as occurring under bark and in dead wood are feeders on 

 the fungus hyphae which penetrate such places. 



Many of the polypores, especially after they have matured, are 

 dry, tough, woody or leathery, although some are soft and watery. 

 In most cases the entire sporophore is consumed by the beetles 

 and their larvae, or so riddled that it weathers away rapidly. In 

 many instances the partly eaten sporophore affords hibernation 

 quarters for the larvae or adults during the winter and food the 

 next season until fresh fruiting bodies are produced. 



Certain species of polypores appear to be more attractive to 

 insects than others and the following table gives a list of the 

 fungi, together with the numbers of insects in different orders 

 found associated with each fungus. 



