ThhwhiUft.] STAPHYLINIDiE. 391 



America with the exception of two, wliich are found, like many other 

 of the forms of the Northern Hemisphere, in Chili ; tliey are very minute 

 insects, usually h^ss than 2 mm. in length, and live on the banks of 

 streams in the damp sand, often almost in the water; they are rapid in 

 their movements ; all our species are rare, and one or two of them 

 extremely so ; it is however very probable that they are often passed over 

 owing to their minute size, and inconspicuous appearance ; the sexual 

 dilferences appear to be imperfectly known and of little importance. 

 Dr. Sliarp proposes to separate Thinohius and its allies from the Oxyte- 

 linse on the ground that " they possess a different structure of the pro- 

 thoracic side pieces and of the front coxaj, making some approach in 

 these respects to the sub-family Aleocharinse." 



I, Head quadrangular, as broad as thorax; eyes smaller 



and situated further from neck ; form more elongate 



and linear. {Thinophilus, Key.) 



i. Size larger (2 mm.); body pitch-black with elytra 



dark pitchy brown ; fourth joint of antennaj smaller 



than those on each side of it T. majoe, Kr. 



ii. Size smaller (less than 2 mm.) ; body pitchy brown 

 with elytra fusco-testaceous. 



1. Antennse longer and more slender, with fifth joint 



longer than those on each side of it, distinctly 

 longer than broad, joints 7-8 subequal a little 

 longer than broad ; head and thorax less thickly 

 punctured and pubescent, more shiny . . . . T. LINKABIS, Kr, 



2. Antennse shorter and rather stouter with joints 



4-8 subequal, about as long as broad ; head more 



thickly punctured and pubescent, dull . . . . T. beunneipennis, AV. 

 IT. Head somewhat rounded, or subtriangular, narrower 

 than thorax ; eyes larger and situated nearer to neck ; 

 form less elongate and linear. {Thinohius, i. sp.) 



1. Elytra brownish ; antennas longer, with joints 5-7 



about as long as broad T. XONGIPENNIS, Seer^ 



2. Elytra and whole upper surface deep black ; an- 



tennas shorter, with joints 5-7 distinctly trans- 

 verse T. BEEA'IPENNIS, Kies. 



T. major, Kr. {Tldnojihilus major, Rey). Elongate, linear, de- 

 pressed, pitch-black, rather shining^ with the elytra a little lighter ; 

 clothed with very fine greyish pubescence ; whole upper surface very 

 finely and thickly jninctured ; head about as broad as thorax, subquad- 

 rate ; antennae pitchy, rather long, third joint shoit, subglobose, fourth 

 smaller than those on each side of it, 9-10 broader than the preceding, 

 eleventh oval-oblong ; thorax strongly transverse, truncate at apex, 

 with the anterior angles right angles, rounded at sides and behind ; 

 elytra depressed, twice as long as thorax, more obsoletely punctured 

 than head and thorax ; hind body elongate, almost as broad as base of 

 elylra, with sixth segment sinuate on apical margin and furnished with 

 a pale membrane, and the seventh slightly emarginate ; legs pitchy tes- 

 tuceou.s, with femora darker. L. 2 mni. 



Very rare ; Scotland, Tay district j taken by Mr. Crotch on the shores of Loch 



