AMPHIZOIDAE. 37 



Abdomen with six ventral segments, the anterior three 

 connate. 



Legs slender, formed for running; anterior and middle 

 coxaa small ; globular cavities of the former not closed ; 

 posterior dilated internally, contiguous at the inner margin, 

 extending also to the margin of the body, separating the side 

 pieces of the metasternum from the first ventral segment. 



Notwithstanding the searching analysis of the characters of Am- 

 phizoa insolens, made by Dr. Schauin in his Insecten Deutschlands, 

 I must differ with my eminent friend regarding the interpretation 

 of the characters, and still regard it as representing a distinct 

 family, and not as a very aberrant Carabide. It is true that the 

 characters it shows, with the exception of the metasternum truncate 

 behind, individually are found in various anomalous Carabidje, but 

 the concentration of all of them in one object, with the addition of 

 yet another, entirely unknown otherwise in the series of land car- 

 nivorous beetles, surely constitutes sufficient reason for regarding 

 this single species as the representative of a distinct type, equal in 

 value to the families which precede or those which follow. 



In addition to the characters given above, I would mention: 

 the head is broad, obtuse ; the eyes very small ; the labrum very 

 transverse, sinuate in front; the palpi short, cylindrical; the side 

 suture of the under surface of the prothorax is distinct, the others 

 are nearly obliterated ; the prosternum is broadly produced behind 

 the coxae, and obtusely rounded at tip; the coxae are not entirely 

 enclosed, but are protected behind by the mesosternum. The 

 latter is deeply concave behind, perpendicular in front, and is almost 

 covered by the prosternum when the thorax is defiexed. The side 

 pieces are diagonally divided, and the epimera reach the coxa?, 

 which are small and round. The metasternum is prolonged and 

 obtusely rounded between the middle coxae, transversely truncate 

 behind; the side pieces are triangular, without visible epimera; 

 the posterior coxae are large, flat, rounded behind, extending to 

 the margin of the body, internally contiguous for a space nearly 

 equal to the length of the metasternum, with a quadrate internal 

 dilatation for the insertion of the legs, as in Carabidse. 



The legs are slender, rough with granulated points; the anterior 

 tibiae are not in the least degree sulcate internally, and have two 

 small terminal spurs; the tarsi are glabrous, the joints rounded 

 beneath; the claws simple. The elytra are twice as broad as the 



