MALACHIDAE. 191 



It is, moreover, remarkable for exhibiting certain characters 

 not seen in the neighboring families ; thus in one tribe the body 

 is furnished with soft extensible vesicles, and the ventral segments 

 of the abdomen are frequently in part membranous ; in the second, 

 the apparent ventral segments are sometimes but five in number ; 

 the occurrence of membranous appendages between the claws of 

 the tarsi is almost universal ; and the fourth joint of the tarsi is 

 bilobed, only by a very rare exception. 



The affinities of the family appear to conduct directly from the 

 Lampyridae to the Cleridse, with a strong tendency to inosculate, 

 through Byturus, with the Dermestidae. We have already ob- 

 served in the Byrrhidae and Parnidae on the one side, and the 

 Dascyllidae and Schizopodidaa on the other, similar affinities be- 

 tween the Serricorn and Clavicorn series. 



I would consider our genera as indicating three tribes : — 



Body with extensible vesicles. Malachini. 

 Body without vesicles ; 



Eyes finely granulated ; Dasytini. 



Eyes coarsely granulated. Rhadalini. 



Tribe I.— MALACHINI. 



Body with lateral vesicles capable of distension ; the anterior 

 pair proceeding from a fissure beneath the anterior angles of the 

 prothorax : head short ; mandibles toothed at the extremity ; eyes 

 entire, finely granulated ; palpi moderate, in our genera slender ; 

 last joint of the tarsi with two membranous appendages beneath 

 the claws ; ventral segments six, always distinct. 



The species of this tribe are small insects found on flowers, and 

 on the ground near water ; many of them are of pleasing colors, 

 but all are of small size. The form is varied, some resembling at 

 first view certain Staphylinidse. 



The sexual characters are various ; in Collops the third joint 

 of the antennae is much enlarged and distorted in the male. In 

 Anthocomus, Attalus, and Ebaeus, the elytra at the extremity are 

 impressed, prolonged, and distorted ; the second joint of the an- 

 terior tarsi is obliquely prolonged and dilated in the males of At- 

 talus, Microlipus, and Endeodes. 



Our genera are numerous, and may be tabulated thus : — 

 Antenna? apparently 10-jointed. Collops. 



Antennae evidently 11-jointed; 



inserted on the front, nearly between the eyes ; 



