16 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



sternum and episterna are nearly effaced. The hind coxaa are 

 small, contiguous, and separate the metasternum from the middle 

 of the abdomen. 



Sub-Family IIL—HARPALIDAE. 



Epimera of the mesothorax not extending to the coxa?; meso- 

 sternum broadly separating the middle coxa?. 



In this sub-family is contained the greater number of species of 

 Carabidae. But few striking anomalies exist among them, and the 

 tribes, with few exceptions, are connected together by insensible 

 modifications of structure, so that all attempts to isolate them dis- 

 tinctly have thus far proved unsatisfactory. 



The following characters are useful in enabling the student to 

 recognize genera belonging here : — 



The eyes are usually present, rarely (Anophthalmus and Anil- 

 lus) wanting. The mentura is deeply emarginate, sometimes with, 

 sometimes without a medial tooth ; the gular suture is always dis- 

 tinct, and the base of the maxillae never covered; the inner lobe of 

 the maxillae is always hooked, the outer lobe Particulate (except 

 in the European genus Callistus); the sutures of the under surface 

 of the prothorax are always distinct; the presternum rarely is pro- 

 longed ; the anterior coxa? entirely enclosed. The mesosternum 

 always separates the middle coxa?, is declivous, sometimes concave; 

 the side pieces are rarely diagonally divided, usually with epimera 

 very narrow and posterior, never extending to the coxa? (the epi- 

 mera and episterna are entirely connate, without suture, in the 

 foreign Graphipterini); the mesosternum attains the middle of the 

 second ventral segment (except in the foreign tribe Orthogonini, 

 where the posterior coxa? are contiguous, and separate the meta- 

 sternum from the abdomen), and is pointed behind. The abdomen 

 consists of six ventral segments, except in the tribe Crachinini. 



The anterior tibite are always deeply emarginate internally, with 

 the upper spur remote from the apex, sometimes slightly prolonged 

 at the apex; the tarsi are frequently dilated in the male, differently 

 in different groups and genera. The ungues are sometimes serrate, 

 but more frequently simple. 



The elytra have never more than nine dorsal and a marginal stria, 

 adjacent to which is a row of ocellate punctures (except in Pana- 

 gaeini); there is also usually a short basal stria by the scutellnm, 



