no 



INTRODUCTION. 



antennae, the last abdominal segment being either simple or 

 furnished with short horny appendages ; an anal appendage or 

 pseudopod for progression is usually, bat apparently not always, 

 present. 



The Erotylin.e are well represented in India by large and fine 

 forms (Megalodacne, Triplatoma, etc.) ; the Languriin.e are also 

 plentiful, and several of the finest forms (Fatua, Doubledaya, 

 Callilanguria, etc.) occur in the region. 



As here constituted the family may be divided as follows : — 



I. Tarsi distinctly o-jointed, with the third joint 

 simple and the fourth distinct, though shorter 



than the preceding- Dacninje. 



II. Tarsi 5-jointed, but apparently 4-jointed (the 

 fourth joint being- very small and more or less 

 hidden between the lobes of the bilobed third 

 joint). 



i. Anterior coxal cavities closed behind EitOTYLixiE. 



ii. Anterior coxal cavities open behind ; form usually 



elongate Languriinje. 



Family 37. CRYPTO PHAGID2E. 



Small insects ; antennae inserted in front of the eyes under the side 

 margins o f the forehead, eleven-jointed, terminating in a three -jointed, 

 rarely two-jointed club ; pronotum with the sides margined or denti- 

 culate ; anterior and middle coxce small and not prominent ; elytra 

 covering the abdomen ; upper surface more or less setose or pubescent, 

 often strongly so ; abdomen with Jive visible ventral segments, the 

 jirst being the longest; tarsi five-jointed, sometimes heteromerous in 

 the males. 



In the Munich Catalogue just 300 species are enumerated as 

 belonging to the family ; in the ' Biologia Centrali-Americana ' 

 Sharp describes 103 species, and the number now known must be 

 upwards of 500 ; they are found in both tropical and temperate 

 countries, the genus Cryptophagus being more characteristic of the 

 latter. Diphyllus is now included in the family, although it might, 

 as Sharp has pointed out, be regarded as the type of a separate 

 family by itself ; it cannot be included under the Myceto- 

 phagidje, nor does it bear a very close relation to the rest of 

 the Cryptophagid.e : we have, however, followed Ganglbauer in 

 retaining it under this family, rather than multiply small families. 

 The close relations that exist between the Crytophagid^e and 

 Erotylid.e are discussed under the latter. 



The members of the family vary in habitat. The Diphyllin^ 

 are found in fungi or under bark; the Telmatophilin^e in the 

 spathes of water-plants, under flowers, etc. : among the Crypto- 

 phaginje the genus Antherophagus is found on flowers, but 

 the larva occurs in bees' nests; the species of Crytophagus and 



