Oxypoda.] STAPHYLINIDiE. 29 



Section III. (Sub-Gen. Baeog-lena, Thorns., and Podozya, 



Muls. et Key.) 



Tliis section, as here constituted, contains nine species, 0. exoleta, 

 vererunda, edinensis, lentula, umhrata, pectita, nigrina, exu/un, and 

 riparia ; they are all small species, and, with one or two exceptions, are 

 very hard to distinguish from one another ; one or two of them are so 

 extremely closely related that by some authors they are not considered 

 distinct ; generally speaking they are distinguished from the succeeding 

 sections by having the hind body more or less narrowed to apex, but it 

 must be admitted that in dry specimens this is a character that is often 

 a misleading one, and one that miist be used with great caution : Mulsant 

 and Eey separate off the species belonging to their sub-genus Pudoxya on 

 the ground that they have the antenna less thickened towards apex than 

 those belonging to Bceoglena {exoleta and its allies), and that the 

 penultimate joint of the maxillary palpi is less elongate : with regard to 

 the former character, although it is plain in some species, yet others 

 appear to be intermediate, and although 0. exoleta is remarkable for 

 the length of the penultimate joint of the maxillary palpi, yet there are 

 species closely related to it in which it is not remarkable : it is evidently 

 impossible to tabulate the species satisfactorily, and in fact several of 

 them require careful comparison with authentic types before they can 

 possibly be named with any authority ; any student, however, who desires 

 tables is referred to Muls. et Key, Brevipennes, Al., 1874, pp. 284 

 (BceogleTta) and 298 (Pudoxya). 



O. exoleta, Er. (Oxyjwda (Bceoglena) exoleta, Muls. et Eey, sub- 

 fava, Heer., riparia, Thorns ). Of a rather dull testaceous colour, with 

 the head and a broad band before ajDex of hind body dark brown or 

 blackish, very finely and thickly pubescent; antennae rather short 

 moderately thickened towards apex, fernigiuous with base lighter, third 

 joint shorter than second, 6-10 plainly transverse ; maxillary palpi 

 with penultimate joint elongate ; thorax broader than long, not strongly 

 narrowed in front, posterior angles obtuse but not rounded, thickly and 

 finely punctured ; elytra a little longer than thorax, testaceous with the 

 scutellary region more or less infuscate, finely, thickly, and rugosely 

 punctured ; hind body long, strongly setose at apex, finely shagrcened, 

 sixth segment much longer than the preceding ; legs light testaceous, 

 posterior tarsi with the tirst joint equal to the three following united. 

 L. 2f mm. 



Male with ventral plate of seventh segment of hind body rounded, and 

 not produced in an angle. 



Sandpits, &e. ; occasionally underneath rejectamenta on and near tlie coast; rare; 

 Shirley, Suriey ; Gravesend ; Sheerness ; Chobliam ; Tonbridge ; Weymouth; Small- 

 heath, near Birmingham, under bones; South Shields; Scotland, very rare, Forth 

 district. Aeeordintr to Mulsaiit and Key this species occurs under hark, among old 

 faggots, uud under dead leaves in spring and autuum in various parts of France. 



