INSECTA MADERENSIA. 539 



acutissinife incurve, infra apicem dente minuto iiistractae. Maxilla bilobfe ; lobo inferno brevi, 

 intus valde ciliato. Palpi maxillarcs elongati, articulo primo minuto, secundo gracili elongato 

 subflexuoso, tertio maximo crasso ovato apice truncate, ultimo vel minuto aciculari vel obsoleto : 

 labiales breves, articulo primo obsoleto, secundo magno crasso subcylindrico, ultimo minutissimo 

 aciculari. Mentum svibquadvatum, antice trilobum. Ligula apice emarginata. Pedes lon- 

 giusculi, graciles : fcmoribus basi pedunculatis, apicem versus subito clavatis : tibiis baud cal- 

 caratis : tarsis simplicibus, articulo primo vix longiusculo, ultimo longiore unguiculis simplicibus 

 munito. 



The singular little insects which constitute the family Scijdmcenidce possess so 

 many characters peculiarly their own, that it is scarcely necessary to point out 

 their distinctions from the members of the neighbouring groups ; suffice it there- 

 fore to observe, that, wliilst in then- minute size, entire elytra, subclavated antennae, 

 more or less pedunculated heads, narrow, posteriorly-constricted jn-othoraces, and 

 general habits (especially apparent in the Ant-associating propensities of some of 

 them), they display much in common with the Anthicidce ; they are nevertheless, 

 in their subulated palpi and the obsolete basal joint of the labial pair, in theii- 

 simple tarsi, and other details of their structure, too nearly related to many of the 

 early representatives of the Bmchelytra (even though then- abdomen be not 

 exposed) to warrant their removal to any great distance from that department. 

 And that this is the case, their close connection, as is now universally admitted, 

 Avith the Fselaphidce*, in which the elytra are abbreviated, would tend materially 

 to confii-m. The species occm- principally, like many of the Anthici, either 

 amongst grass and vegetable refuse on the dry ground, or else under moss on the 

 trimks of trees, — where in northern latitudes they would appear more especially to 

 hybernate. In our own country they are often very abundant in gardens and 

 other cultivated spots, particularly iu and aloout melon- and cucumber-frames, and 

 beneath planks on hot-beds, in company with Monotoma, Anthicus, and several of 

 the smaller Staphylinidm. The only Madeiran Scydmanus which I have hitherto 

 succeeded in detecting is generally to be met with, under stones, on warm grassy 

 slopes facing the sea. It is found for the most part at rather low elevations and 

 in the vicinity of Ants' nests ; but whether this is merely the result of accident I 

 am not able to say,— though, judging from the analogy of kindred forms, it seems 

 probable that the two may be in some way dependent on each other, 



409. Scydmaenus Helferl, 



S. piceus nitidus et longe cinereo-pubescens, elytris parce punctatis, antennis pedibusque pallido- 



ferrugineis. 

 Long. corp. lin. |. 



* I have not been able to detect a single member of this family in the Madeira Islands ; though it is 

 possible, that, were the Ants' nests more carefully examined, it would be fomid to exist. 



3z2 



