HISTERIDAE. 147 



Anterior til)i;e with the tarsal groove badly defined ; middle and posterior 

 tibiae spinulose. 

 Mesosternum truncate or emarginate at apex. 



Posterior tibiae broad at base and with a single row of spines. 



Psiloscelis. 

 Posterior tibiae narrow at base, biseriately spinulose. 



Elytra striate. Hister. 



Strine replaced by flattened tubercles. Margarinotus. 



Mesosternum more or less produced in front. Phelister. 



These divisions do not seem to liave generic value, and their 

 number might be increased by the separation of those species of 

 Hister with striate prosternura. 



Paromalus, as above defined, has been divided by Marseul 

 into two : — 



Elytra striate ; body oval, subconvex, Carcinops. 



Elytra not striate ; body oblong, subdepressed. Paromalus. 



As represented by the species in our fauna these two genera 

 seem more worthy of adoption, inasmuch as the scntellum is dis- 

 tinctly visible between the elytra in the first, and not visible in 

 the second. 



Sub-Tribe 2. — Saprini. 



Some of the genera of this sub-tribe live under bark and in 

 excrements, also under stones ; but the numerous species of 

 Saprinus are found mostly in carcasses. , 



Our genera are the following: — 



Antennae inserted on the front ; antennal cavities at the sides of the under 



surface of the prothorax ; 2. 



Antennae inserted under the margin of the front ; anteniial cavities at tli<- 



side of the prosternum. Saprinus. 



2. Eyes finely granulated, not prominent ; 3. 

 Eyes coarsely granulated, convex ; .'>. 



3. Prothorax without lateral groove : 4. 

 Prothorax with deep lateral groove. Plegaderus. 



4. Tibiae toothed ; pygidium convex. Teretrius. 

 Tibiae spinulose : pygidium double. Teretriosoma. 



5. Hind tarsi f)-jointed, (!. 

 Hind tarsi 4-jointed. 7. 



6. Scutel visible. Abraeus. 

 Scntel invisible. Bacanius. 



7. Scntel visible. Acritus. 

 Scutel invisible. Aeletes. 



