BYRRHID^E 59 



of Limnichoderus; in the European Bothriophorus this margin is 

 reduced to a very fine and feeble even marginal bead. In the latter 

 genus there is an oblique impression at the sides of the metasternum, 

 to receive the tarsi when retracted; there is no trace of this in 

 Physemus. Physemus is erroneously given as a synonym of Both- 

 riophorus in the recent European catalogue. 



Subfamily AMPHICYRTINI. 



The longer and perfectly free or unretractile legs in Amphicyrta 

 and allied genera impart a difference of facies which, taken in 

 connection with the more narrowly separated coxae and some re- 

 markable modifications of the epipleura, might almost warrant the 

 proposal of a distinct family ; but there may be cause to deprecate 

 too much reduction in the weight of family characters, though 

 in such sections of the Coleoptera as that comprising the Byrrhids 

 and Dascillids* it is very difficult to say whether there are really 

 numerous valid families or only one very composite family. How- 

 ever, that Amphicyrta represents a very different type from any 

 of the preceding is quite evident. The very broad hypomera, 

 separated from the prosternum anteriorly by deep clefts, the scarcely 

 differentiated pro-episterna, the free eyes on the sides of the laterally 

 unmargined head and many other characters, widely isolate the sub- 

 family from the rest of the Byrrhidae. There are two distinct tribes 

 of the Amphicyrtinee as follows: 



Elytral epipleura only distinct basally, disappearing completely behind 

 about the middle of the elytra, as in the Byrrhinae. . . AMPHICYRTINI 



Elytral epipleura very wide, entire, extending virtually to the elytral 

 apex, subhorizontal, perfectly flat, and, at the middle, about a fourth 

 as wide as the entire body; coxae more widely separated.. . LIOONINI 



These insects are essentially peculiar to the more northern parts 

 of the true Pacific coast regions. 



Tribe AMPHICYRTINI. 



This tribe is composed of two genera, differing extremely in 

 size of the body, but both very convex and having polished integ- 

 uments, with very sparse hairs or glabrous; they may be defined 

 as follows: 



* The misspelling of the family name Dascillidae under the form " Dascyllidse" by 

 LeConte and Horn is quite unaccountable; it seems to have become universal in 

 American literature. 



