CLASSIFICATION OF THE CARADIDjE 



i. Platyni. 



In this group the anterior tibiae are linear, or very slightly dilated, and scarcely spinous 

 at tip: the three first joints of the antenna? are entirely glabrous: the ligula is free at the 

 extremity, and the paraglossa? distinct. The elytra are sinuate, or rounded at the tip, 

 never truncate: the ungues are either pectinate, obsoletely serrate, or simple: the anterior 

 tarsi of the males have three joints slightly dilated, and papillose beneath. Except by 

 sexual characters, it is difficult to separate this group from Pterostichi and Chlcenii: the 

 body is, however, never densely pubescent as in the latter. This group also evidently os- 

 culates with Patrobus, among the Bembidia, the epimeral suture in some species being 

 somewhat oblique. 



Of the genera contained in it, I will merely observe that they seem to have been un- 

 necessarily multiplied on very slight characters, and yet without a careful comparison of 

 foreign species, it is impossible to reduce them to order. I am inclined to believe that the 

 form of the ungues has received more weight than it deserves, as in comparing three spe- 

 cies of Pristodactyla, I find that while one has the ungues strongly pectinate, and another 

 has them almost smooth, the third is exactly intermediate, having them slightly but dis- 

 tinctly toothed. Scricoda Kirby (Rhytiderus Chaud.) belongs in this group, but there ap- 

 pears to be no reason for separating it from Platynus. The species of the lastnamed 

 genus are so numerous and closely allied that it would be useless to describe the new spe- 

 cies, except in a synopsis. 



k. Pterostichi. 



These are insects with the anterior tibia? somewhat thickened towards the tip, and 

 armed with short spines: the antenna? have three joints entirely glabrous: the tarsi are 

 cylindrical; the anterior ones of the male have three joints dilated, triangular or obcor- 

 date, with a double scries of papilla? beneath. The European genus Broscus, usually as- 

 sociated with these, must be removed to the neighbourhood of Scarites, on account of the 

 form of the cpimcra of the mesothorax, and the different brush-like dilatation of the an- 

 terior tarsi of the male. 



Of the genera allied to Ptcrostichus, I have given a synopsis in the Journ. Acad. Nat. 

 Sci. (New Ser. 2, 225.) All the other native species must be merged into Amara, with 

 the exception of two species belonging to the genus Myas, which is sufficiently distinct by 

 the dilated form of the palpi. 



The mentum in all the genera known to me is strongly toothed ; this character, added 

 to the flat labrum, enables this group to be distinguished from the Licini. The systematic 

 separation from Chcelnii, however, appears to be purely sexual. The pubescence of the 

 upper surface enables the latter to be distinguished at first sight. 



Our genera of the present group are then: Evarthrus tec; Ptcrostichus Bon.; Lopho- 

 glossus Lee; Holciophorus Lcc; Loxandrus Lcc.; Peecilus Bon.; Myas Dej.; Amara Bon. 



1. Harpali. 



This group contains a large number of genera closely related to each other, and scarcely 

 to be distinguished oxcepl by sexual characters, which arc here very variable. They may 



