PREDACEOUS GROUND-BEETLES. 41 



A. Epimera of the mesothorax wide and reaching the middle coxae ; epimera of 

 the metathorax indistinct. 

 B. Anterior tibite quite or almost without notch on their inner side, and never 

 toothed on the ou^r side, both of tlieir spurs at or near the extremitj^: 



Cahauidks. 

 B B. Anterior tibite with a notch on the inner side, near the end, and tooilied 

 on the outer side ; one of the spurs at tlie end and the otlier above tlie 

 notch; abdomen pedunculated ; size extremely various; color black: 



SCAKITIDES. 



A A. Epimera of the mesothorax narrow, and not reaching the middle coxaj; epim- 

 era of the metathorax distinct; anterior tibi.e always notched, with one spur 

 at the apex and the other above the notch ; abdomen sessile. 

 C. El3'tra truncated at the extremity, leaving the tip of the abdomen exposed ; 

 thorax more or less heart-shaped, and much narrower than the abdomen; 

 tarsi not at all or but slii;litly dilated; claws often pectinate; color 

 usually blue, green, or variegated, rarely brown or blackisli, never pure 



black Brachiniues. 



C C. Elytra entire, covering the whole of the abdomen; anterior tarsi of the 

 males generally dilated; claws very rarely pectinate; colors various, 

 mostl}- black. 

 D. Last joint of the palpi as wide, at least, as the others; size various, often 

 small, but rarely verj' small. 

 E. Anterior tarsi of the males with the three first joints much widened, 

 and covered beneath with a dense brush of hair-like papilhv; body 

 often hairy or pubescent ; colors usually green or blue-black, some- 

 times, but rarely, pure black Culjexiides. 



E E. Anterior and frequently also the middle tarsi, with the four or three, 

 or rarely two first joints dilated, and usually furnished beneath 

 with two rows of scale-like papill.e, or more rarely with a brusli of 

 hairs; body usually smooth and shining; colors mosth' black 



or metallic Hakpalldes. 



D D. Last joint of palpi very small; anterior tarsi of males usually with 

 the first joint much dilated, and the second much less so, and scaly 

 beneath; size small, usually very small Bembidiides. 



The parts called epimera, made use of iu the above table, will be uu- 

 derstood by referring to Fig. 3, on page 27, where they are indicated 

 by stars, as explained in the text. In section A, the epinieron of the 

 mesothorax (indicated by two stars in the figure) is wide and somewhat 

 triangular, and its inner extremity reaches the middle coxa, or rather 

 forms a part of the wall or outline of the coxal cavity. J]ut in section 

 A A, (to which the species represented in the tigure belongs) this epini- 

 eron is very narrow, and its inner extremity does not reach the coxal 

 cavity, but impinges upon the anterior angle of the metasternum.* 



It is not necessary, however, that the reader shall study out these 

 parts. The several sub-families are sufficiently characterized withoiit 



* This is best represented, but still imperfectly, on the right liaiul side of tlic fi<iure. The inner px- 

 treniity of the epiineiou should have been repreaeutcd as toucliint; the uietaateruuui, not at its apex, 

 but a little behind it. 



—6 



