2 STAPHYLINIDJE. 



beliind into a distinct and more or loss narrow neck ; eyes very rarely 

 absent, as a rule not very conspicuous, but sometimes very large (as in 

 Stenus and Merialops); two frontal ocelli present in the Homaliina, and 

 one in Phloeobium, in all other genera wanting. 



Antennaj variable in form, sometimes slender, sometimes more or less 

 thickened towards apex, sometimes terminating in a distinct club; the 

 method of insertion also differs considerably, and affords, as will be seen, 

 very good characters for the subdivision of the family. 



Mentum trapezoidal, anterior part separate ; ligula membranous, rarely 

 corneous ; labrum usually transverse, either entire or bilobed ; mandibles 

 corneous, more or less projecting, sometimes very powerful, sometimes 

 slender, but, as a rule, denticulate or serrate, and evidently intended for 

 a carnivorous diet ; maxillae with two lobes, usually ciliate, maxillary 

 palpi 4-jointed, with the last joint often very small and subulate (in 

 Ah'ochara with a very minute accessory fifth joint) ; labial palpi usually 

 3-jointed, sometimes 2-jointed (as in Mi/Ikeria, Diglossa, &c.), or even 

 a]iparently inarticulate ; as a rule they are of normal form, but in 

 MijUcvna and a few other genera they are more or less setiform ; in 

 A/eochara there is an additional minute lobe which is usually regarded 

 as a fourth joint ; paraglossse, as a rule, distinct. 



Thorax very variable in shape, strongly reflexed beneath the body, the 

 reflexed portion being often separated from the upper surface by a distinct 

 ridge : it is usually visible when the insect is viewed sideways, but is 

 sometimes strongly turned back beneath the body, so that the under 

 surface of the thorax appears to be more or less excavated. 



Prosternum variable, coxal cavities usually open behind ; mesosternnm 

 short, episterna large, epimera distinct ; metastemum usually moderately 

 large, sometimes very short, episterna moderately large, epimera very 

 A-ariable, sometimes very small, or even obsolete. Legs variable in 

 length and form ; coxae variable in length and relative position, and 

 affording by their differences valuable cliaracters for subdivision ; tibire 

 simple or dilated, sometimes spinose or denticulate, occasionally excised 

 at apex ; tarsi 5-, 4-, or 3-jointed, anterior pair often dilated especially 

 in male, penultimate joint sometimes strongly bilobed (as in many 

 species of Stpma^, Szc); in many genera of the Aleocharinaj the front or 

 the front and middle torsi are 4-j( anted, and the hind tarsi 5-jointed ; 

 each tarsus terminates in an onycliium bearing two equal or subequal 

 claws, which are usually simple, but occasionally are more or less 

 distinctly denticulate at base. 



On each side of the body there are ten stigmata : the prothoracic 

 stigmata are sometimes visible and sometimes hidden by the sides of the 

 thorax. 



The hind bod}' or abdomen is sometimes parallel-sided, sometimes 

 strongly narrowed towards apex, and more or less conical ; it is usually 

 more or less setose, and very often bears at its apex two sty li form pro- 

 cesses called the " anal styles" (as in TacMnus, TacJiyporiis, Philunthus, 



