March, 19^0.] XoTMAX : LeGS IN THE CaRABID.E. 83 



In the posterior trochanters the prolongation is much greater and 

 free from the femur at its apical end. In Omophron and the 

 Cychrini it is short, about one fittli the length of the femur, oval in 

 form, with a strongly rounded end. In the remaining Carabinre, ex- 

 cepting the Scaritini, it varies from two sevenths to one third. In 

 the Scaritini it is larger. In Ardistomis only is it as small as one 

 third. In the other genera it varies from three sevenths to one half 

 the length of the femur. In Scarites the apex is acute. 



In the Harpalinse bisetosse it varies from one fifth in Platynus 

 candatus to four fifths in the male of Patrohus calif o miens, in which 

 species it is very acutely pointed. It is also acutely pointed in 

 Patrobus otcrrimus. Elsewhere in the subfamily it varies from one 

 quarter to one third. In Oodes americamis, however, it is three 

 sevenths the length of the femur. In the Harpalinse unisetosse the 

 trochanters are longer, three sevenths to one half in the majority. 



The femora vary in size and sliape, not only among the species 

 but also in the three pairs of an individual, for the anterior femora 

 are the shortest and stoutest and the posterior the longest and most 

 slender. This difference in the three pairs is always distinct but is 

 less in such narrow elongate species as Pterosfichus angnstus or 

 Zacotns matthcwsii. In the Cychrini, excepting the genus Sphccro- 

 dcnis, the legs are very slender and even in thickness. Elsewhere 

 the posterior femora are not only more slender but also more clavate 

 in form. 



In a large proportion of the species the femora are grooved for 

 the reception of the tibicX when drawn in to the body. The grooves 

 are always strongest at the apical end and are often confined to the 

 apical one third or one half. The natural expectation would be to 

 find the grooves strongest in those species with short, stout legs. 

 This is not always the case, however. In Promccognathus the ante- 

 rior femora are stout and ungrooved; in Pasiiiiacliiis the anterior 

 femora are very stout and the grooves are very faint; on the other 

 hand, in the closely allied genus Scarites the grooves are strong. 

 In the slender legged genus Nebria the species ovipcnnis, mctalliea 

 and their allies have the femora strongly grooved, but in the species 

 pallipcs, sahlbcrgi and their allies, the femora are ungrooved. In 

 Ptcrostichus the femora are stout and strongly grooved; in Amara 

 the femora are somewhat less stout but no less stronglv grooved. 



