COLEOPTERA . 
585 
species. They are small, black, oval, heteromerous beetles, 
in which the anterior coxal cavities are open behind; and 
in which the antennae are received in grooves on the under 
side of the prothorax. 
The family MELANDRYIDiE (Mel-an-dry'i-dae) includes 
about sixty North American species. These are found under 
bark and in fungi. They .are usually of elongate form, al¬ 
though some, like the one figured here, are not so. The 
maxillary palpi are frequently very long and much dilated; 
and the first segment of the hind tarsi is always 
much elongated. Among our more common 
species are two belonging to the genus Penthe 
(Pen'the). These are rather large, oval, de¬ 
pressed beetles, upwards of half an inch in 
length, and of a deep black color. Penthe obli- Fig. 7 i 4 . 
qnata (P. ob-li-qua'ta) is distinguished by having the scutel- 
lum clothed with rust-red hairs (Fig. 714). Penthepimelia 
(P. pi mel'i-a) closely resembles this species, except that the 
scutellum is black. 
The family PYTHIDuE (Pyth'i-dae) includes less than a 
score of North American species. Some of these live under 
bark; others are found under stones. They are heteromer¬ 
ous beetles, in which the anterior coxal cavities are open 
behind, the head is not strongly and suddenly constricted at 
base, and the prothorax is not margined at the sides. 
The family GEDEMERlDiE (CEd-e-mer'i-dae) is composed 
of heteromerous beetles of moderate size, with elongate, 
narrow bodies. The head and prothorax are somewhat nar¬ 
rower than the wing-covers; the antennae are long, nearly 
filiform, sometimes serrate; the anterior coxal cavities are 
open behind, and the middle coxae are very prominent. 
Less than fifty North American species have been de¬ 
scribed. They are generally found on plants, but some live 
on the ground near water. 
The family CEPHALOIDiE (Ceph-a-lo'i-dae) includes only 
a single genus, which is represented in this country by but 
