INSECTA MADERENSIA. 209 



Fam. 19. HISTERID^. 



Genus 74. HISTER. 



Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. ii. 566 (1767). 



Corpus mediocre, plus minusve oblongo-quadratum, durum, glaberrimum : capite retracto : prothorace 

 postice lato elj-tris arete applicato, mox intra latera striate ; prosterno antice in lobum corneum 

 (capitis basin inferiorem obtegentem) producto : elytris ad apicem truncatis, striis subrectis 

 (omuino vel fere integris) impressis : alls modo amplis, modo obsoletis. Antenna breves (capite 

 vix longiores) capitatae geniculatse, articulo primo elongatissimo robusto flexuoso, in fovea sub 

 margine capitis inter otium reposito, funiculo {i. e. articulis inter basalem et clavam sitis, — in 

 hoc genera ex articulis septem composito) apicem versus paulatim incrassato, reliquis capitulum 

 magnum solidum ovale triarticulatum eflScientibus. Labrum subquadratum niarginibus valde 

 ciliatis, antice saepius integrum, sed interdum (ut in specie nostra) in medio profunde fisso- 

 emarginatum. Mandibula magnae validae incurvfe exsertae, interdum inaequaies, infra apicem 

 saepius dente valido instructae, ad basin sinuatae et pubescentes. Maxilla bilobae : lobo externo 

 elongato recto, intus et apice valde pubescenti : inferno brevi pubescenti membranaceo, intus 

 valde ciliato. Paljyi filiformes ; maxillares articulo primo parvo, reliquis longitudine subaequa- 

 libus (secundo et tertio flexuosis subclavatis, ultimo fusiformi) ; labiales e scapis ligulae connatis 

 surgentes, articulo primo parvo, secundo majore crassiore, ultimo elongato subfusiformi. Mentum 

 transverso-subquadratum pilosum, apice leviter emarginatum. Ligula bipartita valde pilosa, lobis 

 longis divergentibus membranaceis. Pedes validi retractiles : tibiis latis compressis, extus plus 

 minusve fortiter dentatis [posterioribus necnon seriatim spinulosis) : tarsis filiformibus {anticis 

 subreceptis), articulis quatuor baseos longitudine subsequalibus. 



The members of tlie present family, — whose power of contracting their limbs, 

 and thus counterfeiting death, is so great as to have gaiaed for them the popular 

 appellation of " Mimic-Beetles," and the generic name of Sister, — are almost too 

 well known to require comment. Their hard, subquadrate, highly-polished bodies 

 and usually deep black hue, in conjunction with the excessive robustness of their 

 strongly-spiaed legs, are ia admirable accordance with their darkling nature and 

 eminently burrowdng propensities, — the species residing principally ia putrescent 

 substances (both animal and vegetable), which they assist in decomposing and helji 

 therefore materially to remove. The representatives of the typical genus (the one 

 now under consideration) may, apart from their external configuration and 

 superior size, be known from the Paromali and Scqwini by the structure of their 

 antennae, — which have the scape (though elongated and flexuose) less strictly 

 clavated, and the funiculus (instead of being filiform) gradually and regularly 

 thickened towards its apex, — by the last three joints of their maxillary palpi being 

 of nearly similar length, by then." prothorax being impressed wdth one or more 

 longitudinal lines towards either of its lateral edges, and the striae of their elytra 

 being either altogether entu'e or else but very slightly abbreviated behind. In 

 their anteriorly produced prosterna and dentate mandibles they coincide witli 

 Paromalus ; whilst in the formation of tlieir inner maxillary lobe, in the subequal 



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