188 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



I have been much at a loss where to place this insect; the 

 form of the head, and oral organs, the structure of the under sur- 

 face, and the number of ventral segments, all point clearly to the 

 present family ; the episterna of the meta thorax are sinuate in- 

 ternally, as in Telephorus, and the epimera in great part covered, 

 but the prolongation beneath of the fourth joint of the tarsi is 

 altogether abnormal. An approach to this may be recognized 

 in a small sucker at the tip of the third joint of the tarsi in 

 Phengocles; and Omethes may, therefore, be regarded, like that 

 genus, as one of the links connecting the two subfamilies of this 

 family. 



Group II. — Podabri. 



The head is more elongated than in the next group, and gra- 

 dually narrowed behind the eyes ; the sutures from the buccal 

 opening coalesce on the medial line, and then run backwards. 

 The anterior margin of the thorax is truncate or emarginate, not 

 rounded as in the next group. The last joint of the palpi is 

 always dilated, triangular or securiform, but narrower than in the 

 next group; the mandibles are slender, curved, pointed and 

 unarmed. The soles of the tarsi are spongy pubescent. 



I consider our species as belonging to but one genus, Podabrus; 

 they may be divided into two groups, according as the claws are 

 armed with a long acute tooth, giving them the appearance of 

 being cleft, or with a broad basal tooth. The first division cor- 

 responds to Brachynotus Kirby (Malthacus Motsch.), and the 

 second to Malthacus Kirby (Dichelotarsus Motsch.). 



Group III.— Telephori. 



The head is shorter in this than in the preceding group, and 

 the sutures from the buccal opening run backwards, without uniting 

 at the medial line. The thorax is always rounded from the sides 

 along the anterior margin. The genera are not separated by 

 very definite characters, and it would perhaps be advisable to 

 unite together all but the last. The palpi are moderate in length, 

 and the last joint is usually securiform, rarely suboval. The 

 claws are commonly toothed or bifid, or at least broader at the 

 base, but in Ditemnus are slender. The soles of the tarsi are 

 spongy pubescent. 



