PTINUS. 
Genus IV — Ptinus. 
This genus is charafierifed by its filiform antenna, the 
extreme articulations of which are longer than thofe 
nearer the animal. The thorax is without a margin, 
rounded, and affords a receptacle for the head, into which 
the infed frequently draws it *. There are probably ma- 
ny varieties of this tribe which, from their extreme mi- 
nutenefs, eicape obfervation : Linnaus has enumerated 
fix different fpecies, whofe habits nearly refemble thofe 
animals laft defetibed. They attack honfehold furniture, 
cloths, furs, and particularly dried animals in a ft ate of 
prefervation. Some of them when caught, have the ar- 
tifice to counterfeit death. They draw in the bead and 
limbs, and remain till the danger is over in a ftate of in- 
aflion, from which nothing but the application of heat 
can roufe them. 
In order to depofite their ova they retire among hay, 
dried leaves, and other fubftances of a iimilar nature: 
from thefe retreats their larvae ift'ue, and penetrate rot- 
ten wood, and decayed houfehold furniture f. 
The ptinus pe&inicornis is the firft fpccies enumerated- 
in the fyftem of nature; it is produced from a final! 
vv ortn that lodges in the rotten parts of the bark of trees, 
ivhere it makes a deep hole. The worm is there trans» 
Vol. HI. 3 A formed 
t Iijem, gen. 4. 
f Barbut’s Gen. lafeft. p. 33., 
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