Staplnjlinina.'] staphylinid^. 247 



2. Intermediate coxal cavities quite contiguous ; bind 



body very long OcYVVB, Er. 



ii. Ligula entire; metasternum terminating between 

 the posterior coxae in a strongly projecting and 

 deeply incised lobe. 



1. First joint of posterior tarsi as long as or longer 



than fifth joint. 



A. Last joint of maxillary palpi slender and acute . Philonthus, Curtis, 



B. ]yast joint of maxillary palpi flattened, elongate- 

 oval^ more convex on the inner side .... Cafius, Sfeph. 



2. First joint of posterior tarsi shorter than fifth 



joint, joints 1-4 decreasing gradually in length . Actobius, Fauvel. 



CREOPKIIiUS, Mannerheini. 



In the Munich catalogue and Duvivier's supplement to the same 

 sixteen species are enumei-ated as belonging to this genus ; some of 

 these, however, are varieties of other species, and, according to Dr. 

 Sharp, the genus consists of eight or nine species, six of which are con- 

 fined to the Antipodes and New Guinea, a seventh is found in South 

 America, and the eighth is widely distributed in both the eastern and 

 western hemispheres ; this latter is our common species C. inaxillosus, 

 which appears to have become somewhat modified as it has spread more 

 widelj'- over the world ; Fauvel unites CreopJiilus with Emus, but Dr. 

 Sharp points out (Biol. Cent. Am. StaphylinidEe, p. 370) that this is 

 wrong, as there are important difi'erences in the thorax, which are corro- 

 borated by other minor distinctions. 



C. inaxillosus, L, A large, robust species, head and thorax black 

 very shining, elytra black witli a broad band of thick grey pubescence, 

 thirdj fourth, and fifth ventral segments of hind body completely 

 covered with long and thick greyish-white pubescence, which is more 

 or less scattered over the upper surface, being more distinct at the sides 

 of the fourth and fifth segments ; head variable, sometimes very large, 

 considerably broader than thorax and very transverse in male, with the 

 mandibles much developed, in female more orbicular and narrower than 

 thorax; antenna?, black, short, clavate, with joints 7-10 very strongly 

 transverse ; thorax transverse, with disc quite impunctate, considerably 

 narrowed behind ; scutellum black ; elytra transverse, a little longer 

 than thorax, finely and thickly punctured with four or five large seti- 

 gerous punctures on each ; hind body somewhat rounded at sides, thickly 

 and rugosely punctured ; legs black. L. 16-19 mm. 



Male with seventh ventral segment of hind body deeply and sharply 

 excised in middle of apical margin. 



In dead animals, birds, fish, &c., and offal generally ; common througbcut the 

 kingdom. 



The var. ciliaris, Steph., has the scutellum, apex of elytra, and 

 margins of segments and apex of hind body clothed with golden 



