246 - STAPHTLiNiD^. [Quediaiiuchus. 



castaneous ; head transverse orbicular, antennas rathev short, brownish 

 ■with the three first joints red, joints 5-10 strongly transverse ; thorax 

 slightly transverse scarcely narrowed in front, with two oblique series 

 in front, consisting of three punctures each, the hind ones approximate, 

 and the others diverging from these ; elytra longer than thorax, a little 

 longer than broad, depressed near suture, quite impunctate, or furnished 

 with two obsolete series of four punctures in each, one near suture, and 

 the other near middle of disc; hind body somewhat parallel, finely and 

 sparingly punctured, more sparingly behind, shining black, somewhat 

 iridescent, with the greater part of seventh segment, and the apical 

 margin of the preceding ones more or less broadly, testaceous ; legs 

 reddish testaceous, posterior femora strongly spined beneath. L. 7-8 mm. 

 Male with the sixth and seventh ventral segments of hind body 

 slightly sinuate at apex, with a smooth triangular space before sinuation ; 

 anterior tarsi very strongly dilated. 



Under bark of decaying Scotch fir ; Scotland, Highlands, not uucommon, Tay, 

 Argyle, Dee, and Moray districts. 



STAPHYLININA. 



Dr. Sharp (I.e. p. 370) defines this group as having the " superior line 

 of the prothorax deflexed to the under surface at the front angle ; 

 inferior line not continued on to the front aspect of the thorax, and 

 iisually united with the superior line behind the presternum." The 

 antennae are inserted on the anterior margin of the front, inside the base 

 of the mandibles, but distant from each other ; the head is usually large, 

 especially in the male ; the thorax is, as a rule, square or oblong, very 

 seldom much narrowed in front, often thickly punctured, sometimes, 

 however, punctured after a definite plan, as in Philonthus ; the lateral 

 margin appears to be double ; the legs, as a rule, are rather short, and 

 the tarsi are very often dilated, especially in the males ; our genera may 

 be distinguished as follows : — 



I. Maxillary palpi with fourth joint shorter than third. 



i. Mesosternum not carinate ; thorax transverse ; inter- 

 mediate coxse plainly distant. 



1. Intermediate and posterior tarsi not dilated ; head 



and thorax glabrous Creophilus, il/an»A. 



2. Intermediate and posterior tarsi somewhat dilated ; 



head and thorax densely pubescent Emtjs, Curtis. 



ii. Mesosternum carinate longitudinally; thorax sub- 

 quadrate; intermediate coxae moderately separated LEiSTOTROPHtia, Perty. 



II. Maxillary palpi with fourth joint equal to, or longer 



than, third.* 

 i. Ligula emarginate ; metasternum terminating be- 

 tween the posterior coxse in a slightly projecting 

 emarginate or reflexed lobe. 

 1. Intermediate coxal cavities separated by mesoster- 

 num ; hind body comparatively short .... StaphtlinuS, Linue. 



* -S. c(Esareus and S. erythropterus appear to be exceptions ; the character is not 

 altogether a satisfactory one, but will in most cases be found practically useful. 



