COLEOPTERA. — BRACHELYTRA. 



175 



Fkj.V 



17 -'0 



and with the family Pselaphidae of MacLeay and Stephens.) These 

 insects are extremely minute, but highly interesting, presenting se- 

 veral very peculiar modifications of structure ; so that it is not sur- 

 prising that they should have occupied the attention of several 

 monographers, as Reichenbach, Leach, Denny, and Aube. The body 

 is generally short and robust (^fig- 17. i. Pselaphus Heisii) ; the tarsi 

 very slender, with only three joints, of which the basal articulation is 

 very minute (7?j/. 17. 4.), and they are generally terminated by a 

 single claw ; the head is narrowed behind the eyes ; the maxillary 

 palpi are very greatly developed, being, in the typical genus, as long 

 as the antennae, and much thickened at the tips [fig. 17. 3.). These 

 organs have been described by Reichenbach and Leach as being 

 either 3 or 5 jointed ; but it is evident that the real typical number of 

 joints (4) in these organs also prevails in these insects. The mandibles 

 are acute and denticulated (^fig- 17. 2.). The elytra are about half 

 the length of the abdomen, much broader than the thorax, and folded 

 at the base. The antennae are clavate, and the eyes very prominent. 

 The lower lip is furnished with two slender lobes, and a pair of very 

 short palpi {^fig. 17. 4. lower lip of Bryaxis, from Schmidt, the repre- 



Say, in Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Pliilad. vol. iv. 



Attht, in Gucrin's Mag. ^ool. vol. ii. 



Germar. ]\Iag. Entoraol. vol. iii. (Claviger. ) 



Dabnan. Act. Holm. 1820 (Articerus). 



Gori/, in Guerin's Mag. Zool. (Metopius = jl/ar«a.r Lap). 



Laporte. Etudes Entomol. No. 2. 



And the general works of Stephens, Curtis, Gylknhal, rayhull, ^-c. 



