COLEOPTERA. 507 



is entire, and the maxillary palpi arc almost as long as the head, termina cd in a ma 1 of the 



third joint, the fourth being concealed or very indistinct, and forming a small point terminating this 

 mass, when present, the preceding being very much swollen. These insects live upon the margin- of 

 water. 



Pcetlwtx, Pabr., has the antenna; inserted before the eyes, filiform, or gradually increasing in size, and longer 

 tban the head \ body long and narrow ; and mandibles toothed and pointed at the tip, with the penultimate joint 

 of tin' tarsi bifid. Type, Staph, ripariut, Linn., [a pretty little common British spei 



StiUeui, differs in baring all the joints of the tar^i entire. 



Procirrut, Latr., has the last joint of the maxillary palpi distinct, and forming a terminal mass ; the headil 

 attached by a long peduncle; thorax long and narrow; and the fore tarsi dilated. P. Le/eburi, Latr., Sicily. 



Evetthetut, Grav., has the antenna- inserted before the eyes, but not longer than the head] and moniliform ; body 

 slightly elongated. /•-'. teaber, Grav. 



8tenut, Latr., has the antenna inserted near the inner margin of the eyes, and terminated by a mass fonm d of 

 the last three joints; the eyes are large, and the mandibles furcate. Staph, biguttatut, Linn. ; black, with a red 

 dot on each elytron ; [very common.] 



The third section, Denticrura, differs from the preceding in having the maxillary palpi much shorter 

 than the head, with four distinct joints ; the tibia: at least of the fore-legs are toothed or spined ; the 

 tarsi fold hack on the tibia?, and have the last joint as long as all the preceding together, some of which 

 are more or less obsolete. The front of the head is cornuted in the males of some species. 



Oxytelus, Grav., differs from all the rest in having the palpi terminated by a hatchet-shaped joint, the antennae 

 moniliform and gradually thickened, with only three distinct joints to the tarsi. [A. very numerous genus.] 



Osorius, Leach, has the palpi filiform, the body cylindric, and the mandibles much shorter than the head. I he 

 species are from South America. 



Zirophorut, Dalm. (Jretuetu, Leach ; Piestus, Grav.), has the body depressed, the fore tibia- alone toothed on the 

 outside, the antenna? at least as long as the head and thorax, and mandibles as long as the head, (fice Dalman's 

 Anal. Entomol., p. 23.) 



[Leptot kirn*, Germar, differs from the last in the antennae being very short. The species of both are tropical.] 



Prognatha, Latr. (Siagonium, Kirby) [not Siagona], differs from Zirophorus in the antenna; being filiform, and 

 comp lniuriited joints. [8. quadrieorne, Kirby : a rare British speo. 



CopropMUu, Latr. [BlomutH, Leach], has the body flattened, but all the tibia; are toothed on the outside; the 

 antennae much longer than the head, and the mandibles not toothed. Omalium rugusum, Grav. 



The fourth section, Depressa, has the head free, the labium entire, and the maxillary palpi short, with 

 four distinct joints; but the tibiae are simple, without teeth or spines, and the tarsi distinctly 5 -jointed. 



Omalium, Grav. (having the thorax as broad as the elytra, and transverse-quadrate), Letteva, Latr. (Ant ko- 

 phagut, Grav., having the thorax narrower than the elytra, and in the form of a truncated heart), have the pal] i 

 filiform, but the following lia\ e them hatchet-shaped : — 



Micropeplut, Latr.. has the antenna; terminated by a solid club, and received into channels of the thorax. M. 

 porcatiu, [a minute British species]. 



Proteinut, Latr., has the antenna; perforated, and thickened towards the tip, but free, and inserted before the 

 eyes. [P. oralis, a common insect found in moss.] 



Aleochara, Grav., has the antenna inserted between the eyes, or near their lower edge, and free; the thorax is 

 nearly oval, or square, with the angles rounded [A very extensive group of insects, now cut up into a grr.it 

 number of genera and subgi nera i>\ Stej hens, Brichson, and others. J 



The fifth section, Micrvcephala, has the head received into the thorax as far as the eyes, not h 

 attached by a neck, nor an evident narrowed space; the thorax is trape/il'orm. and enlarged from the 



front to the bind part ; the bodj is h>s elongated than iii the preceding, and approaches more an 

 elliptical form ; the head is much narrower, and sharpened in front ; the mandibles of modi 

 without teeth, and simply curved to the point j the elytra, in many, cover more tban the half of the 

 abdomen. Some of the species live in fungi, or upon Bowers, and Others in dun 

 /. m tchtua, Grav., has no apnea to the tibia; and the antenna (often shorter than the head and thoru i, after 



fourth joint form a perforated mass; and the palpi an- terminated by a hatohet-^h.iped joint: .some bave 



the sides of the thorax nol raised. Aleoehara bipunctata, Grav., Sec; and the others bave them elevated: I 

 form Gravenhi is Lomechtua; /.. paradaxa, &c, 



kintu, baa the tibia spiny, the joints of the antenna are pear-ahaped, and the palpi filiform. Type, Ory- 

 i rut tubt erraneut, and many other Osypori, Pabr. . 



'I'm hgponu, <.r.i\ ., is like Tachinua in the tibia and antenna, but the palpi are terminate.: b) ■ batchi t-ah 

 joint. Osyporiu rufipet, Pabr., Ckrytomelinut s Pabr., and a gri at many others. 



CaUlcenu, Grav., stated bj Latreille to be unknown to bim, [la oblong depre I; with tin last Joint of the 



antenna disproportionately long ; the third joint of the maxillarj palpi swollen; and the last minute. Tyj . .\ 

 BpeneU, K. Curtis, Brit. But., pi. Hi. 



ott hctus, Meg., and DeJ. ( be suppressed, being a true Paelaphus, [or rathei i . tusi. 



