112 



INTKODUCTION, 



the antennae and the very distant intermediate and posterior coxae ; 

 in appearance they are something like the Coeylophid^, but are 

 not so round ; they appear to be allied to the CrytophagidvE and 

 Silphidje, but can hardly be classed with either. It is quite 

 possible that representatives of the family may be found in 

 jNorthern India. 



Family 39. PHALACRID2E. 



Very small, compact, convex, smooth and shining insects; elytra 

 entirely covering the abdomen ; head sunk in the pronotum ; antenna? 

 inserted under the elevated margins of the front, eleven-jointed, with 

 the apical joints forming a more or less distinct club; anterior coxae 

 globular ; legs short and rather stoat ; tarsi five jointed, with the 

 fourth joint often almost obsolete. 



The number of species at present described amounts to about 

 300. They are all small insects, which live in flowers, especially 

 in fruit-blossom and the heads of various Compositae ; they appear 

 to bore down the stems of the latter and to pupate in earthen 

 cocoons. The larva of Olibrus afjinis has been described and 

 figured by Laboulbene ; the head is much narrower than the 

 pronotum, which is furnished with two dorsal plates, and there is a 

 rather broad anal process, but no cerci. In the larva of 0. bicolor, 

 as figured by Heeger, there are two rather stout, short cerci and 

 no anal appendage. 



Phalacrus and Olibrus are well represented in India and Ceylon, 

 and the genus Augasmus, Mots., appears to be confined to the 

 Indian region. 



[Family 40. THORICTIDiE.] 



Minute insects {the largest scarcely exceeding 2 mm.); eyes very 

 small or rudimentary ; antenna? short and thick, eleven-jointed, with 

 an apparently solid, but really three-jointed, club; maxillce bilobed ; 

 scutellum not visible ; elytra connate at the suture, completely covering 

 the abdomen; anterior coxal cavities open behind ; metasternum very 

 short ; legs short and stout, tarsi -five-jointed ; abdomen with five 

 free visible ventral segments. 



This family comprises two genera, Thorictus and Thorictocles, 

 which are almost entirely confined to the Mediterranean region. 

 The genus Thorictus contains about forty species, which are 

 associated with ants, and are so intimately connected with them 

 that tbey may be often found hooked on to the scape of the 



