1 iO ADEPHAGA. [Dromius. 



DR03MIUS, Bouelli. 



The si^ecies belonging to this genus are somewhat numerous, being 

 upwards of a hundred in number ; they are distributed over the whole 

 M'orld, but are chiefly found in the temperate regions ; a small proportion 

 live in the southern hemisphere, and these occ-ur mostly in Chili, in 

 Avhich country and its adjoining districts several of the northern genera 

 (e.g. CaraTius) appear to repeat themselves ; several also of the genera 

 near Dromius are Chilian ; the tribe has not yet been fully worked out, 

 especially as regards the southern forms ; the habits of the species are 

 very different, some being found on plants or among refuse at their base 

 or roots, others occurring in dry and stony places, others being confined 

 to fenny localities, while one section are almost exclusively found under 

 bark of trees : there are about twenty European species, of which we 

 possess eleven as British ; some of the species are winged and others 

 apterous ; the presence of wings is always shown in the testaceous species 

 (and this applies also to the preceding genera) by a dusky patch around 

 the scutellum. 



j\Ir. Bates (1. c. p. 191) says that a group Dromiides is incapable of 

 definition, including as it does such discrepant elements as Axinopalpus, 

 Dromius, Metabletus, and Demetrias, and we may add Aetophorus with 

 its large and projecting paraglossag ; he is of opinion that Metahletus 

 might well be classed with the CjTumdina, " its ligula and paragiossai 

 being similar to those of that group, whilst Dromius, in spite of the non- 

 extension of the paraglossce along the apical edge of the ligula, cannot 

 be far removed from Plochionus : " in D. longiceps, however, the para- 

 glossse are extended along the apical edge of the ligula ; there are, how- 

 ever, a large number of exotic forms that require to be examined before a 

 final arrangement can be made. 



The larva of D. quadrinotatus is described and figured by Perrls, Ann. Fr. 1862, 

 p. 173, Fig. 502-509 : it is 6 mm. iu length, and resembles in general shape that of 

 D. agil'is ; M. Ferris found it on the pine in the cells of Fissodes notatus, devouring 

 the larvsc of that beetle : a beautiful figure of the larva of D. agilis is given by 

 Schiodte, vi., PI. iv.. Fig. 1 ; the head is very large, oblong, about the size and shape 

 of the prothorax, with large powerful jaws ; the abdomen is rather broad in the 

 middle, narrower towards base and apex ; the cerei and anal appendage are very short, 

 the latter armed with two warty excrescences which can be exserted at will, and 

 several strong hooks for climbiug ; the larva is setose, pale, with the head and all the 

 dorsal scuta pale ferruginous, covered with darker scattered lines and markings ; it 

 lives under the bark of dead trees, and is very active ; the larva of D. i-maculatus much 

 resembles the preceding, but is of a darker colour. 



I. Elytra at base about as broad as anterior margin of 



thorax. 



i. Striae very weak, obscurely punctured ; head elon- 

 gate, smooth D. LOXGICEPS, Dej. 



ii. Striae plain, distinctly punctured ; head not clou- 

 gate, rugose D. LINEARIS, 01. 



II. Elytra at base distinctly broader than anterior margin 



cf thorax. 

 i. Elytra uuicolorous dark red or brownish. 



