16(5 



INTRODUCTION. 



[Family 80. PYTHIDiE.] 



Head not constricted behind, sometimes -produced into a rostrum ; 

 antennas eleven-jointed, inserted under small oblique fronted ridges ; 

 prothorax narrowed at base; anterior coxas conical, usually con- 

 tiguous, middle coxae, rounded, posterior coxce transverse, anterior 

 coxal cavities open behind; elytra covering abdomen; tarsi slender, 

 claws simple. 



The only characters that separate this family from the Melan- 

 .dryidje appear to be the narrowing of the pronotum at the base, 

 and the fact that several of the species have the front produced, 

 and in some cases forming a distinct rostrum. Only about 100 

 species are known, and these are mostly confined to temperate 

 and cold climates, although some are found in Madagascar, Chili, 

 etc. The type genus Pytho is very depressed, and the larva is 

 long, parallel-sided, and glabrous, with a large semicircular head 

 and a deep furrow running down the rest of the segments until 

 the last, which is slightly narrowed and furnished with two widely 

 separated, strong, and slightly incurved appendages ; it is found 

 under bark of fir and pine. Several of the other genera are 

 attached to the same trees, while more are found on umbelliferous 

 and other flowers : others (e. g. Comonotus) under stones. The 

 larvae of Rhinosimus and Lissodema are remarkable for the triply 

 emarginate apical segment, that of Rhinosimus being deeply, 

 almost circularly, emarginate in the centre and divided into two 

 cleft lobes shaped like fish-tails (v. Perris, Larves de Cole'opteres, 

 pi. ix, figs. 319, 326, 328). 



[Family 81. MELANDRYID.E.] 



Head usually deflexed, not constricted behind, the eyes ; antennce 

 eleven-jointed, rarely ten-jointed, as a ride filiform, inserted under 

 very small oblique frontal ridges ; anterior coxce variable, separated 

 or contiguous, cavities open behind ; posterior coxce transverse, more 

 or less contiguous ; j^'othorax broad behind ; legs slender, claws 

 simple ; abdomen with five ventral segments. 



The constitution of this family has hardly been settled, as some 

 authors include under it genera which are excluded by others. 

 Leconte and Horn, for instance, regard Scraptia and Mycterus as 

 belonging to it, while Osphya (JNothus), now regarded as a Melan- 

 dryid, used formerly to be placed in the Q^demeeidoE. The family 

 contains about 200 species, which occur in fungi and rotten wood 

 or under bark ; Osphya alone is found on flowers, and varies 

 greatly in the sexes. The larvae are variable. The species 

 appear to be confined to the cold and temperate regions of the 

 northern hemisphere, and very few are found in hot climates. 



