INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



OrdoI. COLEOPTERA. 



Sectio I. GEODEPHAGA. 



Fam. 1. CAKABID^. 

 (Subf. 1. BEACHIXIDES.) 



Genus 1. TARUS. 



Clairville, Ihit. Helv. ii. 94 (1806). 



Corpus mediocre, oblongo-ovatum, depressum : prothorace subcordato : elytris apice truncatis : alls (in 

 speciebusMadercusibus) obsoletis. Antenna filiformes, capita protboraceque paido longiores, articulo 

 primo sequeutibus robustiore, secundo brevi. Labrum transverso-quadi-atum, antice vk emargi- 

 natum et setis paucis longis instructum, angulis anticis rotundatis. Mandibulce incui-vse acutse. 

 Maxilla bilobae : lobo externa palpiformi biarticulato : interna acuto incurvo, apice imeinato, intus 

 valde ciliato. Palpi maxillares subtiliformes, articulo ultimo elongato subfusiformi apice truncate : 

 labiales longiusculi, articulo xiltimo magno subsccm-iformi. Mentum transversum, antice profunde 

 emarginatum et dente medio brevi integro instructum. Ligula cornea, apice truncata pilisque 

 duabus aucta ; paraglossia membranaceis apice rotundatis, ei sequalibus. Pedes longiusculi : t arsis 

 anticis in maribus \ix dilatatis : wiguiculis serratis. 



The entire central tooth of the emargination of its mentum, added to its elongated 

 labial palpi, with theii' large subsecuriform terminal joiat, will be sufficient, ajiart 

 from external differences readily apparent, to distinguish Tarns* from other allied 



* The names of Tarus and Cymindis were proposed at tlie same time, the former by Clairville, the latter 

 by Latreille, for the present genus ; and the second of the above titles is the one more generally recognised 

 by recent coutinental entomologists. Since neither of them, however, possess claims in point of priority, I 

 have preferred retaining the first, as open to the fewest objections, Kv^irSis having been origiuaUy appHed by 

 Homer, and early Ionic writers, to a certain bird supposed to be of the Falcon tribe. 



B 



