THE MINUTE BROWN SCAVENGER BEETLES. 



661 



margins very finely crenulate, hind angles with a distinct denticle ; surface 

 sparsely and finely punctate, the basal fovea a little transverse and some- 

 what shallow. Elytra elongate, tips broadly truncate, exposing the tip of 

 abdomen in male ; punctures of striae rather coarse. Length 1.5-1.8 mm. 



Putnam County; scarce. Taken by sifting dead leaves. April 



22. 



1268 (3810). Melanophthalma ameeicana Mann., Germ. Zeitschr., V, 50. 



Resembles the next species but more elongate and usually paler in 

 color. Elytra widest at middle in both sexes, and longer in proportion to 

 length of thorax; the latter more transverse and more regularly rounded 

 at the sides, with the basal fovea less deeply impressed. Length 1.5-1.8 mm. 



Marion and Posey counties ; scarce. March 20-May 11. Widely 

 distributed throughout the United States and probably occurs 

 throughout the State. 



*1269 (3818). Melanophthalma cavicollis Mann., loc. cit., p. 57. 



Short, ovate, convex. Color variable, but usually with head and tho- 

 rax dull reddish-brown, the elytra darker sooty brown; tip of abdomen, 

 legs and base of antennae paler ; pubescence rather short, recumbent. Tho- 

 rax transverse, subcordate, strongly rounded in front ; hind angles ending 

 in a distinct denticle; surface evenly and rather finely punctate; basal 

 fovea rounded, deep. - Elytra rather broadly ovate, base but slightly wider 

 than that of thorax, tips rounded; striae but slightly impressed, the punc- 

 tures moderate, those of intervals finer. Length 1.2-1.5 mm. 



Throughout the State; frequent. Hibernates. March 20-De- 

 cember 23. Taken by sifting in early spring and beneath logs in 

 winter. 



Family XXVIII. TKOGOSITID^E. 



The Grain and Bark-gnawing Beetles. 



A family of small size, which includes medium or small oblong 

 or oval, usually somewhat flattened beetles of a black or reddish- 

 black hue which live, for the most part, under bark, though some 

 inhabit granaries and have been widely distributed by commerce. 

 They have the maxillge 2-lobed, the inner lobe sometimes very small; 

 antennae short, 11-jointed, inserted under the margin of the front, 

 the last three joints widest, forming a loose club of varied form; 

 thorax with its hind margin not overlapping the base of elytra ; the 

 latter never truncate, always covering the abdomen, which is com- 

 posed of five free ventral segments; front coxse transverse, sepa- 

 rated by the presternum, the cavities usually closed behind ; middle 

 and hind coxa? transverse, flat, the former separated, the latter 

 contiguous; tarsi 5-jointed, not dilated, first joint very short, second 

 slightly longer, fourth very long ; claws simple. 



