Hypocypius.'] STAPllYLiNlDiE. 189 



body is so strongly retractile that they quite lose their shape, and the 

 antennae are apt to change colour; it sliould be remembered that in sonie 

 species the antennas of the male are longer, and have the club of the 

 antennae less sharply defined than in the female, and that the posterior 

 angles of thorax are rather hanl to see, and appear somewhat different in 

 different lights; this explains the apparent discrepancy regarding them 

 found in certain authors' descriptions of the same species. 



TACHYPORINA. 



^11 the European genera contained in this tribe are represented in 

 Britain, with the exception of Erchovms, INfots. {Coproparus, Kraatz); 

 only one species of this genus has been found m Europe, but it ap])ears 

 to be the chief representative of the sub-family in the tropics, where it 

 appears to take the place of Tachimis, which is essentially a boreal genus ; 

 the arrangement of the genera of the Tachyporina is not yet settled ; by 

 some authors Lampriims and Bryoporits are included umler Tachi/jjoriis 

 and MegacTonus respectively, whereas others would still further tlivide 

 tliis latter genus and Mycetoporus : our genera may be distinguished as 

 follows : — 



I. Temples not margiued at sides ; head usually traus- 

 verse ; seventh dorsal segment of bind body always 

 more or less divided into lobes in female ; intermediate 



and posteriiir tarsi not elongate. 

 i. Hind body not o- scarcely visibly bordered at sides; 



bead and thorax pubescent Conosoma, Kraatz 



{^Conurus, Steph.). 

 ii. Hind body more or less plainly bordered at sides ; 

 head and thorax not pubescent. 



1. Last joint of maxillary palpi shorter than the 



penultimate. 



A. Posterior tibifc and tarsi slender, not or scarcely 

 compressed; fourth joint of tarsi slendei-, umcb 



shorter than third ; antennae long TACHTPORrs, Orav. 



B. Posterior tibiae and tarsi robust and com- 

 pressed ; fourth joint of tarsi rather thick, 



nearly as long as tliird ; anteuufe shoi t . . . Lamphinus, Hetr. 



2. La-t joint of maxillary palpi longer than, or as 



long as, the penultimate. 



A. Mesosternum cariuate ; anterior tarsi simple in 



both sexes CiLEA, Duv. 



B. Mesosternum not carinate ; anterior tai-si of 



nude diluted Tachinus, Grav. 



II. Temples margined at sides ; bead longer than, or at 

 least as long as broad ; seventh dorsal segment of hind 

 body simple and entire in both sexes; intermediate and 



posterior tarsi elongate. 

 i. Last jo'nt of maxillary palpi about equal to the 

 penultimate or a litth- longer. 

 A. Maxil!ary palpi short and stout; labial palpi 



thick Mkgacbonus, Thorns. 



