82 



INTRODUCTION. 



beetles, which appear to have lost the instinct of feeding themselves , 

 the association, however, is not altogether friendly, as Claviger 

 foveolatus has been observed to devour ant-larvse. 



The species belonging to the family differ very much in shape : 

 as a rule they are narrow in front and much widened behind; 

 but some are broad and subparallel-sided, and others, as Euplectus, 

 narrow and parallel-sided. Some extraordinary forms are figured 

 in the most recently published work on the group by B-affray 

 {' Genera Insectorum,' Wytsinan, 1908). In his introduction 

 Raffray, speaking of the geographical distribution of the group, 

 says that it is spread throughout the world, but the species 

 become more abundant in a damp tropical climate. Very little is 

 known of the Indian members of the group, although they are 

 probably very numerous ; several European genera are represented, 

 as Ctenistes, Tychus, Batrisus, Bryaxis, Euplectus, and Trimium ; 

 one species of Claviger has also been found, while several genera 

 occur only in Ceylon. Raffray has quite recently described several 

 new species, and a new genus (Aphanethrix) from the Nilgiri 

 Hills, and any collector in India who takes up the group will be 

 amply repaid. 



[Family 13. GNOSTIDzE.] 



Very small insects, with the abdomen entirely covered by the elytra; 

 antennas three-jointed ; tarsi five- jointed ; apparent numher of ventral 

 segments three, the first, however, elongate and consisting of three 

 connate segments. 



This small family appears, through the live-jointed tarsi and 

 covered abdomen, to be allied to the ScydmvEnidje, and through 

 the formation of the antenna? and the connate segments of the 

 abdomen to be closely related to the Pselaphid.e (Clavigeein^;). 

 I have followed Sharp in regarding it as a separate family and 

 placing it between the two families last mentioned. Only two 

 species are known, which inhabit nests of ants of the genus 

 Crematogaster and are found in Brazil. 



Family 14. SCYDMiEXIILE. 



Very small insects, of elegant form, which are closely allied to the 

 Silphid^e; mentum transverse; antennae eleven-jointed, inserted on 

 the front, thidcened or clavate ; maxillary palpi long, with the first 

 joint very small; anterior coxce subovate, contiguous ; posterior coxce 

 separated ; elytra entirely, or almost entirely, covering the abdomen 

 (pygidium occasionally exposed) ; abdomen with six visible segments ; 

 egs moderately long, tarsi five-jointed. 



