49G 



INSECTA. 



semiorbicular, separated from the abdomen by an interval, which makes it appear pedunculated ; the 

 legs are generally but slightly elongated, with the tarsi often short, alike or scarcely different in the 

 two sexes, without a cushion on the under-side, and merely furnished with the ordinary hairs or ciliae ; 

 the two anterior tibiae are toothed on the outside, as though palmated, or furnished with fingers, in 

 many species, and the mandibles are often strong and toothed ; the notch of the mentum is armed 

 with a tooth. They are all found on the ground, hiding themselves either in burrows which they have 

 dug, or under stones, and often quitting their retreats only during the night ; their colour is generally of 

 an uniform black. The larva of Ditomus bucephalus, the only one yet observed, has the form and 

 mode of life of the Cicindelae. They are particularly natives of hot climates. 



The three following subgenera have the labial palpi terminated by a large hatchet-shaped joint. 



Enceladus, Bon., has the anterior tibiae without any internal notch, and not palmated externally. The thorax 

 is heart-shaped, broadly truncated. Type, E. gigas, Bon., from the coast of Angola. 



Siagona, Lat. (Cucujus and Galerita, Fabr.), has the fore tibiae not palmated, but the notch on the inside is 

 distinct ; the basal joint of the antennae is elongated. Some species have the abdomen oval, and are apterous 

 (S. rufipes, &c). In others, it is oval, truncated at the base, and these species are winged. They inhabit northern 

 Africa or the East Indies. 



Carenttm, Bon., has the antennae moniliform, the anterior tibiae toothed on the outside, thus resembling 

 Scarites ; the maxillae are straight, without any terminal tooth. Type, Scar, cyaneus, Fabr., from New Holland. 



All the remaining Scaritides have the labial palpi terminated by an elongated, nearly cylindrical joint, narrowed 

 at the base ; the last joint of the maxillary palpi is also subcylindrical. 



A first very natural subdivision comprises the Scarites of Fabricius (except the last-mentioned species),' which 

 have the two fore-legs palmated or fingered at the tip, that is, terminated exteriorly in a long point or spine, 

 opposed to a very strong inner spur. The antennae are moniliform, with the second joint as long and often longer 

 than the following. The mandibles are robust, advanced, and toothed on the inside. 



Some of these have the mandibles very strong, protruded, and toothed, the upper lip crustaceous, and very much 

 toothed on the fore margin ; the fore tibiae are always palmated, and the species are generally of large size. 



Pasimachus, Bon., approaches the last in respect to the maxillae, which are straight, and without any terminal 

 hook ; the body is very fiat, thorax heart-shaped, broadly truncate behind. This subgenus is confined to 

 America. 



Scapterus, Dej., is placed by its author next the preceding, but the form of the body is long and cylin- 

 drical. I do not, however, know if the maxillae are similar. It is founded upon a species from the East 

 Indies, named Scapterus Guerini. 



The following have the maxillae arched and hooked at the tip ; the thorax is always separated behind from the 

 base of the elytra by a decided space. 



The three following subgenera are distinguished by the external palpi being terminated by a nearly cylindrical 

 joint, not narrowed at tip. 



Acanthoscelis, Latr. (distinguished by the four posterior curved and flattened tibiae, covered with minute points ; 

 Type, Scarites nificornis, Fabr. ; an inhabitant of the Cape of Good Hope. 



Scarites, Fabr. (having the four hind tibiae straight and naked, the mandibles of a triangular form, strongly 

 toothed at the base). Type, Scarites Pyracmon, Bon. (Sc. gigas, Oliv.) ; about one inch long, found on the shores 

 of the Mediterranean, the south of France, &c. ; Scarites terricola, Bon., found with the preceding ; Scarites 

 sabulosus, Oliv., &c. 



Osygnathus, Dej., essentially like Scarites, but with long, narrow mandibles, without teeth, closing like a pair 

 of pincers, and the body long, narrow, and cylindrical. Type, Scarites elongatus, Wiedeman ; an inhabitant of the 

 East Indies. 



Oxysto7tius, Latr. (with the labial palpi nearly as long as the outer maxillary, with the last joint spindle-shaped, 

 — type, 0. cylindrical*, Dej., Brazil) ; and Camptodontus, Dej. (with the labial palpi considerably shorter than the 

 outer maxillary, with the last joint spindle-shaped, — type, C. cayennensis, Dej.), are both distinguished by their 

 elongated, cylindrical body, and long, narrow, toothless mandibles. 



The others have the anterior tibiae not dentated on the outer edge, but simply didactyle at the tip; the man- 

 dibles short, but slightly advanced beyond the labrum, which is coriaceous and entire, and the outer palpi termi- 

 nated by an oval joint, sharpened at the tip. They are of small size, frequent damp places, and occur in our 

 northern regions. 



Clivina, Latr., has three strong teeth on the outer edge of the two anterior tibiae, and one on that of the two 

 following. Type, Tenebrio fossor, Lin., (Scarites arenarius, Fabr.). [A very common British species, about a 

 quarter of an inch long.j 



Dyschirius, Bon., which has only small teeth or small indistinct spines on the outer edge of the two anterior 

 tibiae, the tip of which is produced into a long point ; the thorax is nearly globose. The Clivina, Nos. 8—21 of 

 Dejean, but the eighth, or C. arctica, appears to possess the characters of Cephalotes. [These species, of which 

 D. gibbus is the type, are amongst the most minute of the Carabidae ; the species are rather numerous, and 

 very difficult to be determined. The C. arctica has been formed by Eschscholtz into the genus Miscudera 

 (Leiochiton, Curtis, Oncoderus, Stephens), and belongs, as Latreille indicates, to the family Harpalidae.] 

 Our second and last subdivision of the Scaritides comprises those which have the anterior tibiae neither 



