406 A REVISION OP THE STAPHYLINID^ OF AUSTRALIA, 



Elytra truncate, the suture straight ; wings folded under the 

 elytra when present. 



Abdomen corneous, very freely movable, with seven or eight 

 exposed segments. 



Legs variable in form ; anterior coxse generally large, prominent, 

 conical and contiguous, rarely (Piestinse) small, globular and not 

 prominent, or subcylindrical and transverse (Protininse, Micro- 

 peplus) ; intermediate coxse conical or subcylindrical, not 

 prominent, either contiguous or distant ; posterior coxse variable 

 in form, contiguous, except in Micropeplus where they are small, 

 cylindrical and distant. Tarsi usually 5-jointed, sometimes 

 4-jointed, and rarely (in Micropeplus and certain Oxytelinse) 

 3-jointed ; in many of the Aleocharinae the heteromerous 

 character of tarsal structure is reproduced and reversed (i.e. 4.5.5) 

 and in others the four anterior tarsi are four jointed. 



The Staphylinidae or Pove-beetles compose the group Brach elytra 

 of authors and constitute an exceedingly large family. They are 

 mostly of small size and are readily distinguished by their 

 elongate flexible abdomen of which seven or eight corneous 

 segments are exposed and their short straightly sutured elytra. 

 Their nearest affinities are with the Geodephaga on the one hand 

 and the Clavicorns on the other, but they are generally considered 

 to form a group in themselves. A great number of the species 

 are carrion feeders, being found in the dead bodies of animals ; 

 many are found in the dung of quadrupeds ; others in rotten 

 fungi. Indeed the great majority frequent decaying animal and 

 vegetable substances which they assist in removing, the business 

 of scavengers being one of their chief functions. They are not 

 all scavengers, however; many are predatorial and others are 

 found in flowers, under bark, under sea- weed on the sea shore, 

 frequently between high and low tide-marks ; whilst one or two 

 live as parasites on small mammals. Among the most interesting 

 of the exceptions to these habitats may be mentioned the species 

 which are found living in the nests of certain social hymenoptera, 

 particularly those found in the nests of wasps and hornets (a 

 habit not yet recorded of any Australian species) and those which 



