COLEOPTERA. 533 



hairs. There is a conspicuous band of these across the 

 middle of the wing-covers, and another on the second and 

 third abdominal segments; this abdominal band is best 

 marked on the lower side of the body. 



StapJiylinns maculosus (Staph-y-li'nus mac-u-lo'sus) is a 

 larger species, which often measures fully an inch in length. 

 It is densely punctured, and of a dull-brown color, with the 

 scutellum black, and a row of obscure, square, blackish spots 

 along the middle of the abdomen. 



Staphylinus vnlpinus (S. vul-pi'nus) resembles the pre- 

 ceding somewhat, but it has a pair of bright-yellow spots at 

 the base of each abdominal segment. 



LeistotropJius cingulatus (Leis-tot'ro-phus cin-gu-ia'tus) is 

 of about the same size as the preceding. It is brown, 

 speckled with brownish-black spots, and the tip of its 

 abdomen is clothed with golden hairs. 



The family TRICHOPTERYGID^E (Tri-chop-te-ryg'i-dae), or 

 the Feather-wing Beetles, includes the smallest beetles that 

 are known ; most of our species are less than one twenty- 

 fifth of an inch in length, and in many cases they are not 

 half that size. The most striking feature of the typical 

 forms is the shape of the wings, which are long, narrow, and 

 fringed with long hairs, being feather-like in appearance ; 

 but in some species the wings are wanting. Some species 

 live in rotten wood, muck, manure, and other decaying 

 organic matter; a few have been found in ants' nests. 



The family HYDROSCAPHID.E (Hyd-ro-scaph'i-dae) is rep- 

 resented in America by a single, minute, aquatic species 

 from California. See table of families for its characteristics. 



The family SPH^RIID^E (Sphae-ri'i-dae) is also repre- 

 sented on this continent by a single Californian species. It 

 lives in mud or under stones near water. Its distinguishing 

 features are given in the table of families. 



The family SCAPHIDIID^E (Scaph-i-di'i-dae) includes less 

 than twenty known North American species. They are 



