COLEOPTEROUS INSECTS, 267 
vipalpi, on account of the large size of the termi- 
nal joint of the maxillary palpi. It includes only a 
few genera, some of which consist of small insects 
with a hemispherical body, which they have the 
power of contracting into a ball. The larger kinds, 
which do not possess this property, are chiefly re- 
ferrible to the genus Erotylus of Fabricius. The 
latter well exemplify the distinctive character of the 
family, as the last joint of the maxillary palpi is un- 
usually large, transverse, and attached by the middle 
to the stalk of the palpus, bearing considerable re- 
semblance to a hammer. The species are nume- 
rous, amounting to nearly one hundred and thirty ; 
and they occur chiefly in the tropical countries of 
America, if indeed they are not confined to these 
regions. They are said to frequent leaves, and are 
observed flying about in the woods during the day. 
They are solitary in their habits, with the exception 
of E. sphacelatus (Fab.), which is usually found con- 
gregated in considerable numbers on the trunks of 
fallen trees. The species figured is not rare. It is 
named 
EROTYLUS HISTRIO. 
PLATE XXIX. Fio. 5. 
Fair. Ent. Syst. — Olivier , v. No. 89, pi. 2, fig. 12, a, b. 
It is about an inch long ; the head, antennae, and 
thorax black ; the elytra, which are very much ele- 
