(Page 534) 



(Subdiv. Oxytelina Liuls. et Rey.) 



91. Jenus Bledius Mannh. 



(Mannh. Brachl. 44; Erichs. Kaf. Mk. Br. I, 578; Jen. Spec. Staph. 

 760; Kraatz Ins. D. II, 816; Muls. et Rey Brevip. 1879, 109; Janglb. 

 Kaf. U. II, 610. - Bledius + Kesperophilus- f- Astycops Thorns. Skand. Col. 

 Ill, 118, 120, 121. - BlediusHHadunus- t- bar,^us -V Astycops^ - Hesperophllus 

 Schiddte Nat, Tidsskr. III. R. 4. B. 144). 



Body rather elongated, of equal breadth, and in most of the species 

 somewhat round; Head hardly as broad as pronotum, porrect, scarcely con- 

 stricted behind, and with protruding, coarsely faceted, often "lashed" 

 (facets surrounded with hair) eyes, and rather short, strongly geniculate, 

 toward tip thickened antennae (Fig. 154), of which the long first joint 

 can be placed in a short groove immediate before the eye; the mandibles 

 are more or less prominent, and their *g rasping -part" is sometimes plump, 

 with a robust, sharp tooth back of the tip ( Bledius s. str. and Tadunus 

 Schitfdte), sometimes emaciated (Barg_us, Astycops and Kesperophilus Schipd- 

 te); the distal joint of maxillary palpi is small and subulate, that of 

 labial palpi fine. 



Pronotum is broadest anteriorly, the posterior third obliquely nar- 

 rowing posteriorly, incurved or rounded off, with finely margined sides, 

 separated from elytra - and therefore more mobile - with a short, neck- 

 shaped prolonged mesothorax-piece, upon which scutellum is placed free 

 before the elytral base (Fig. 154 and others) elytra are ordinarily lon- 

 ger than pronotum; abdomen often slightly distended posteriorly, its 

 ventral side convex, side-margins rather thick; middle coxae close set; 

 legs rather short; fore legs are robustly developed digging legs, and 



