COLEOPTERA BRACHELYTRA. 171 



( /fjj'. 15. 2. labrum of Goerius olens) is longitudinally slit in the 

 middle. The anterior tarsi of the males {fig. 15. 7.) are often dilated ; 

 and the maxillary palpi are short, filiform, and distinctly 4-jointed 

 {fig. 15. 4.). The antenna^ {fig. 15. 6.) are inserted between, or in 

 front of, the eyes. The legs are generally spinose, and the tarsi 

 5-jointed. The mandibles {fig. 15. 3.) are long, and furnished on the 

 inside with a membranous ciliated appendage {prostheca K. and S.). 

 The labium and its parts, in the same insect (G. olens), are repre- 

 sented in^^. 15. 5. The species are usually found under dead leaves, 

 stones, dung, &c., or are seen flying in the hot sunshine. 



The second subfamily, Stenides Mann. (Longipalpi Latr., Stenidffi 

 MacLeay, Steph.), is distinguished by the integrity of the labium 

 {fig. 15. 9.) ; the great length of the maxillary palpi {fig. 15. 10.), which 

 are clavate, and apparently 3-jointed, the fourth joint being very 

 minute, and almost entirely concealed within the extremity of the 

 preceding. The head is large and exserted, as in the foregoing sub- 

 family, with a short neck {fig. \5. 8. Paederus riparius, j^^. 15. il. 

 labium of the same). The tarsi are 5-jointed, in which respect they 

 differ from the Oxytelides {fig. 15. 14. anterior tarsus of Stenus 

 biguttatus, fig. 15. 15. ditto St. clavicornis) ; the mandibles also are 

 long, acute at the tip, and internally furnished with several teeth. 

 These insects are of a smaller size than the majority of the preceding 

 subfamily ; they are also often handsomely variegated in their colours. 

 They frequent the margins of water and other damp situations, and 

 run with great agility, their large eyes giving them a well marked 

 character. The species of the genus Stenus exhibit a very remarkable 

 structure in the lower lip, which is exceedingly elongated, and capable 

 of exsertion to the length of half the body. According to Dr. Thion, 

 who has published a Memoir on this subject in the Ann. Soc. Ent. 

 France, 1835, the membranous elongated lip is articulated in the 

 centre, the basal part forming a tube for the reception of the terminal 

 portion. Mr. Curtis's figure of this structure {Brit. Ent. pi. 164-. f. 4.) 

 is more satisfactory. My fi'g. 15. 12. represents the instrumenta la- 

 bialia of Stenus biguttatus in a retracted, and fi'g. 15. 13. in an ex- 

 serted state. 



The third subfamily, Oxytelides (or the Dcnticrura of Laireilk, 

 by whom a valuable Memoir was published in the Nouv. Annales die 



