Doctrine of Affinity and Analogy. 101 



hici it bears the greatest affinity. Its depressed body, its elytra 

 very obtuse at the tip or subtruncate with an epipleura dilated at 

 the base, and its blunt anus, seem to indicate an approximation to 

 Lebia, Dromius, &c., and the labial palpi are not unlike those of 

 one sex in Tarus Clairv. {Cymindis Latr.) belonging to the same 

 section ; but its sessile head brings it nearer to Scolytus Fab., 

 the labium of which is not very dissimilar, and to the aquatic 

 Entomophagi. Its thorax is shaped very much like that of Hy- 

 drophilus carahoides. Its maxillary palpi are unlike those of 

 any other entomophagous genus yet known. Many links, how- 

 ever, remain to be discovered before we can connect this re- 

 markable and puzzling genus with any one at present known. 

 In going over most of the cabinets in London I could discover 

 nothing that came at all near this insect, which I purchased at 

 the sale of the late Mr. Francillon's collection. From the mode 

 in which it is transfixed, and the pin used, I suspect that it was 

 taken by Mr. Abbot in Georgia. 



excrucians. 1. P. 



Tab. III. Fig. 3. 



Long. corp. lin. 5. 



Habitat in Georgias forsan aquaticis ? Ex Mus. D. Francillon. 

 Corpus leeve, nitidum, subpilosum, rufum. Labrum antice 



punctis quatuor excavatis setigeris. Octdi in medio pilosi. 



Coleoptra seriatim subpunctata, picea : margine externo 



rufo. 



(Melolonthida.) 



MiMELA, Kirhy. 



Character Essentialis. 

 MandibulcE dorso rotundatae, apice compressae bidentatse : dente 

 inferiori truncate. Antenna novem-articulatse. 



Character 



