COLEOPTERA. CARABIDJE. 87 



lately been taken somewhat plentifully by the entomologists of the 

 North of England, by one of whom, W, Hevvitson, Esq., I am informed 

 that the Leoichiton Readii of Curtis is a variety only of M. arctica. 



The investigation of the species of the genus Amara is attended 

 with very great difficulty, and has been much neglected. Dejean de- 

 scribes sixty-three species ; Stephens gives twenty-six as British. M. 

 Zimmerman has recently published a valuable memoir upon the genus 

 in Gistl's Faunus (Munich, 1832), in which the species are carefully 

 analysed, and several new subgenei'ic groups proposed. 



The genus Zabriis is nearly allied to Harpalus In the following sec- 

 tion. I have already detailed its natui-al history in the introductory 

 observations upon the family. M. Zimmerman has published a me- 

 moir upon this genus and its allies, in his Monographia Amaroidiim. 

 The anterior tibiee are terminated by a pair of strong spurs. 



Division 2. The genus Harpalus is of very great extent, and requires 

 a much more minute revision than has hitherto been given to it. 



The genus Masoreus is at once distinguished from all the British 

 Harpalides by the posterior lobe of the thorax, a character which 

 exists in Lebia and yEphnidius MacLeay (^Java^. In other respects 

 it nearly approaches Stenolophus. Mr. Curtis thinks it not improbable 

 that this genus may form the connecting link between Dromius, 

 amongst the Brachinides, and the Scaritides. There, however, ap- 

 pears to me to be but little ground for such an opinion, I am in- 

 debted to Professor Henslow for a specimen of this rare insect. M. 

 Zimmerman has published a monograph on this genus in the second 

 number of Gistl's Farimis. 



The genus Aepus Leach is united with Blemus by the French en- 

 tomologists, notwithstanding its manifest differences. The fourth 

 joint of the anterior tarsi of the males is armed with a strong spine; a 

 character not noticed in any other Carabideous insect. M. V. Au- 

 douin has published a very interesting memoir upon the habits of this 

 insect (^JVouv. Ann. da Mus. d' Hist. Nat. tom. iii., and Ajin. des Sc. 

 Nat., 1835), which resides, in general, under pebbles, at a considerable 

 distance below high-water mark, on the shores of the ocean, in situ- 

 ations which are only exposed during very low tides. In this me- 

 moir the author has endeavoured to account for the physical peculi- 

 arities enabling the insect to sustain life in such a situation. Dr. 

 Johnstone, to whom I am indebted for the insect, has discovered it 



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