102 
THE ORDER OF COLEOPTERA. 
The Ft ini proper subsist upou substances iu a state of incipient decay, 
and are often found iu cellars and out buildings. The Anobii are usually 
found in wood more or less decayed; but the BostrioM bore into solid 
wood, and are often seriously injurious, more especially to forest trees. 
Indeed, the last mentioned insects bear so striking a. resemblance, both 
iu their short cylindrical forms and their eminently wood-boring habits, 
to the short-horned wood-borers ( Scolytidw J, in the tetrainerous section, 
that one feels strongly tempted to place them in the latter tribe ; but in 
the details of their organization they are more closely allied to the more 
highly organized Ptinidse, especially in the more fully developed anten- 
nal club, labium, and maxillary palpi. The larvae also have six feet, 
whilst those of the Scolytidse are footless. 
The following are the principal genera: 
A. Antenna} filiform, sometimes branched. Tibial spurs very small or wanting ; tarsi distinctly 
5-join ted. 
B. Head ami thorax much narrower than the elytra ; antenna} filiform and simple and inserted upon 
the front, and about as long as the body Ptinus, 8 sp. 
BB. Form cylindrical or sub-globular. Antennae usually either branched or with the three hist 
joints longer than tho others, and inserted before the eyes. 
C. Antennae simple, but with the three terminal joints elongated Anobium, 22. 
C C. Antennae branched in the male, serrate in the female Ptilinus, 3. 
A A. Antennae terminating iu three lairgcr and somewhat serrate joints ; tibial spurs distinct ; tarsi 
apparently 4-jointed. Thorax asperous. Elytra often truncated and toothed behind : 
Bostiuchus, IU. 
The Ptinus fur, Linn., is three-twentieths of an inch long, light brown, 
with two whitish bands across the elytra, interrupted in the middle. The 
thorax is uneven, having a tubercle on each side and two on the back. 
This insect feeds upou almost all kinds of dried animal matter, and is 
often very injurious iu museums of natural history. It was originally a 
native of Europe, but has become disseminated over the civilized world. 
We have a very similar species iu this country, the humei-alis, of Say, 
which is regarded by some as only a variety of the European species. 
We have also another common species, often found in company with the 
others, iu cellars and out-buildings. This is the Ptinus br mucus, and is 
distinguished at once from the others by being wholly of a light-brown 
color, and destitute of the bands on the elytra. 
. Our most common species of Anobium is the A. tcnuestriatum, Say, 
scarcely three-twentieths of an inch iu length, of a uniform, cinnamon- 
brown color, with a microscopically tine silken pubescence, and the 
elytra with fine impressed lines or striae. This species is also injurious 
to cabinets and herbaria. It may often be caught upon the wing in or 
about our houses. 
The genus Bostrichus contains a number of small species, which, in 
their larva state, are genuine wood-borers, and some of which are se- 
riously injurious both to fruit and forest trees. The 11. bicaudatus, a 
