(Pa^e 376) 

 Kirby, Kraatz) feebly thinned toward the tip. Labruna is cleft at 

 middle; mandibles robust, most often with one or more teeth on inner 

 margin; in some species the last joint of labial palpi, in o'also 

 the last joint of maxillary palpi feebly axe-formed (Fig. 112), other- 

 wise rather cylindric. 



Pronotum is anteriorly almost evenly truncated with rect- or obtuse- 

 angular corners, erect or incurved sided, posteriorly rounded off; 

 scutellum punctate and haired, occasionally velvet-haired; elytra 

 most often longer than pronotum; abdomen of rather even breadth; legs 

 rather robust, the middle and hind tibiae spiniferous, and with spurs 

 at the end, fore-tarsi of both sexes strongly dilated, first joint 

 of hind tarsi stretched, and as long as the two or three following 

 joints. The mesosternum is without carina in the middle line, and the 

 middle coxae are rather narrowly separated or almost contiguous. 



Of those in Liiddle and North Europe distributed, and to this genus 

 belonging species, 17 have heretofore been found in this country. 

 They are mostly found on forest ground or at manure and carrion, and 

 are as a whole voracious rove-beetles. The below mentioned first 7 

 species belong to the true genus Staphylinus L., the rest to Ocypus 

 Kirby (cf. Kraatz); but as these two genera mutually by lack of distinc- 

 tive, mainly separating features, are difficult to characterize with 

 sufficient sharpness they are here treated together (cf. ianglb. et.al.). 



Key to Subgenera and Species. 

 1. Antennae slightly thichened outwardly, or of even thickness, their 



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