100 



INTRODUCTION. 



[Family 29. SPHjERITIDjE.] 



Antennae short, with the first joint thickened, but not geniculate, 

 eleven-jointed, with a large and compact three-jointed club ; anterior 

 coxal cavities open behind ; pronotum fitting closely to elytra ; elytra 

 truncate at apex, leaving the apex of the abdomen exposed ; anterior 

 and posterior coxae contiguous; middle coxce rather widely separate ; 

 posterior coxce transverse, with a short broad process ; legs compara- 

 tively slender, tarsi five-jointed. 



The single genus Sphcerites, which forms this family, is very 

 closely allied to the Synteliid^;, and in the venation of the wings 

 it is very similar. In facies it resembles Saprinus or Hister, and 

 like Syntelia appears to be closely related to the Histeridje. It is 

 also nearly related to the Silphim, with which it is often classed 

 by authors, but differs in the wing venation, the formation of the 

 anterior coxal cavities, etc. ; in some points it approaches certain 

 JNitidulid^e. The genus contains only one species, which is 

 found in Northern and Central Europe and in the west of North 

 America (Alaska, Sitkha, Vancouver's Island, and California). 



Dr. Sharp considers the genus to form a tribe of the SynteliidjE, 

 but, apart from all else, it differs entirely in habits from the species 

 of Syntelia, the latter being only found at the sap of felled or 

 wounded trees, while Sphairites occurs in decaying fungi, under 

 excrement, in small carcases, snails, etc. 



Family 30. TIIOGOSITIDJE (OSTOMIME). 



Very closely allied to the Nitidulidae, and differing in the formation 

 of the tarsi which have the first joint, and not the fourth, very small I; 

 they are five -jointed, but appear to be four-jointed ; antennae inserted 

 under the side margin of the front, before the eyes, eleven-jointed,, 

 rarely ten-jointed, usually with a loose three-jointed ( often laterally 

 asymmetrical J club ; maxilla? always bilobed ; elytra entirely covering 

 the abdomen; anterior and middle coxa? more or less separated; 

 abdomen with five, rarely six, visible ventral segments. 



The members of this family vary very much in form, from the 

 elongate and cylindrical Nemosoma to the convex and elliptical or 

 almost hemispherical forms Ostoma (Peltis) and Thymalus. The most 

 characteristic genera are Temnochila and Tenebrioides (Trogosita), 

 both of which contain a considerable number of species. The total 

 number of Trogositidje hitherto described is about 400, but very 

 few have been as yet recorded from India, and they are probably 

 not numerous in that country as they seem to be chiefly attached to 



