Mr. Sprnce’s Monograph of the Genus Choleva. 151 
with a distinct triarticulate clava, the different Instrumenta Ci- 
baria, epipleurz, posterior cox:z, and feet,—and in Silpha, the 
dilated margin of the thorax, the more depressed body, antenne 
with triarticulate clava, and different Instrunientaria Cibaria &c., 
—afford discriminating generic characters amply sufficient. La- 
treille has associated Choleva in his * Stirps tertia" of his family 
* Necrophagi" along with Scaphidium, Agyrtes, and Mylechus. 
Agyrtes Lam not acquainted with. Mzylechus is unquestionably 
rightly placed here; but I greatly doubt the existence of any 
relationship between Choleva and Scaphidium. It is true that 
in one species (Silpha agaricina Linn. Scaphidium acuminatum 
Ent. Brit.) the eighth joint of the antennz is shorter than those 
adjoining. But this is the only resemblance. The remarkably 
thin-stalked antennz of Scaphidium ; its large emarginate eyes; 
abbreviated elytra; acute abdomen ; remote posterior feet and 
differently formed coxa—in short the whole habit ; a yr re- 
move it to a very wide distance from Choleva. pio um 
"These remarks, imperfect as they are, on the affinities of dié 
genus under consideration, lead us to its essential character. This 
is drawn from the relative short eighth joint and mucronate last 
joint of the more or less clavate antennz, and the subulato-conical 
last joint of the incurved palpi; combined with the entire elytra 
and five-jointed tarsi. The first member of this character distin- 
guishes Choleva from every other genus known to me except 
Anisotoma, one or more species of Scaphidium, and some of Sil- 
pha*. The character drawn from the tarsi separates it from the 
first: that from the elytra from the second ; and that from »"- 
palpi from the last. | "i i | 
* That singular insect Dermestes Cassidoides Ent. Brit., which has very properlybeen formed 
into a genus by Andersch, under the title of Clypeaster (a name, however, preoccupied in 
another Class) has, like Choleva, the fourth joint of the antenne, from the apex, much 
shorter than the rest ; but as in it the antenne have but nine joints, it is the sixth and not 
the eighth joint from the Jase that is the shortest. 
s2 It 
