68 THE ORDER OF COLEOPTERA. 



principal sections or sub-families into which it has been divided. Mod- 

 ern authors divide the family into eleven sub-families, but seven of 

 these contain all but a few rare or exotic species. 



The following table exhibits the most conspicuous of their distinctive 

 characters : 



A. Body narrow and elongated. Elytra (except in the Tachyporides) covering less 

 than lialf of the abdomen. No ocelli. 

 B. Head as wide, at least, as the thorax, and usually attached to it by a short neck. 

 C. Labrum bilobed. Antennie inserted upon the anterior edge of the front. 



Size often large Staphyijnides . 



C C. Labrum usually entire. Antennce inserted at the sides of the front. Size 

 moderate or small. 

 D. Maxillary palpi short. Posterior coxse wide. Tibas usually spinous on 

 the outer edge. Tarsi usually three-jointed. Abdomen parallel. 



OXYTELIDES . 



D D. Maxillary palpi long and clavate. Posterior coxfB much longer tlian 

 wide. Tarsi usually five, sometimes four-jointed. Abdomen more or 

 less tapering. 



E. Anterior coxge large. Ejjes not prominent 1'edeiiides. 



E E. Anterior coxaj small. Eyes large and prominent Stenides. 



B B. Head narrower than the thorax, and more or less inserted in it, often impei'- 

 fectly visible from above. 

 F. Body depressed, of equal width and obtuse. Elytra usually covering 



a third or less of the abdomen Aleochakides. 



F F. Body convex, conical and pointed behind. Elytra sometimes cov- 

 ering half or more than half of the abdomen Taciiyporides . 



A A. Body 1)road and depressed. Elytra usually covering half or more than half of 

 the abdomen. Two ocelli on the vertex. Size small Omaliides. 



Sub-faiuily STAPYLINIDES. 



This group stands at the head of the fauiily containing all the large 

 species, sometimes exceeding an inch in length, though some of the 

 li^iK;^28.] genera also contain small species. Its two most ^^^s- ~^-j^ 

 distinctive characters are those given in the table. 

 Tlie autennre are inserted upon the cpistoma, which 

 -CEz^ is the ridge which borders the face below, just 

 above the mouth. In the other groups of this 

 family the antennae are inserted above the episto- 

 ma, at the sides of the face, and are usually cov- 

 ered at the base by a little prominence. The spe- pinLovmusAri- 

 Larva of cics are usually found amongst rubbish, or iinder tM-Kiu'yf^'"'' 

 oLfJxs: dead leaves or stones. They have been supposed to be mostly 

 westwood. rypophagous, but some of them are known to be eminently 

 predacoous. 



More than a hundred N. A. species have been described. 



