CLAVICORNIA. 6 



serted on the front above the base of the mandibles, as a rule 11-jointcd ; 

 maxillary palpi usually very long ; anterior coxae conical, contiguous ; 

 thorax very variable ; elytra very much abbreviated, leaving a great part 

 of the abilomen exposed ; abdomen composed of six or seven free ventral 

 segments ; legs long with the femora usually clavate ; tarsi 3-jointed with 

 the claws equal or unequal and very often single ; size very small. 



Staphylinidae. The characters of this family will be found fully 

 discussed at the beginning of vol. ii. ; the principol distinguishing ones 

 are as follows : — Elytra truncate, with a straight suture, never deliiscent, 

 very much abbreviated, so that the greater part of the abdomen is 

 exposed (except in rare instances) ; wings Avhen present completely 

 folded beneath the elytra ; abdomen or hind body composed of seven 

 segments, all freely movable, and all entirely, or almost entirely, corneous, 

 even when more or less hidden by the elytra ; size very variable (| mm. 

 to 28 mui.). 



Trichopterygridee. This family contains the most minute of all 

 Coleoptera ; its genera may be known by their pedunculated lanceolate 

 wings which are fringed on both sides with long setae, and by their 

 3-jointed tarsi ; the maxillae are bilobed ; their antennae are generally 

 long and very slender and ornamented with long verticillated hairs ; 

 the last three joints usually form an elongate club ; they vary much in 

 outward form, and in many characters exhibit a close affinity to the 

 Staphylinidae, from which they appear to lead by an easy gradation 

 into the other Clavicorn groups. 



Corylophidae. The members of this family are very small oval or 

 round convex insects, which are very closely related to the Trichoptery- 

 gidce through having their wings fringed with long hairs ; the wings, 

 however, are much shorter, and the species are further distinguished 

 by having the maxillae nnilobed and the tarsi 4jointed (the third joint 

 being small and concealed in an emargination of the second joint) ; the 

 abdomen is composed of six free ventral segments. 



Sphseriidae. Only one genus is contained in this family, which is 

 closely allied to both the TrichopterygidaB and the Corylophidae ; the 

 wings are fringed with long hairs ; the maxillae have two lobes ; * the 

 antennae are 11-jointed with a loose 3-jointed club; the abdomen is 

 composed of only three ventral segments, and the tarsi are 3-jointed ; 

 the form is very small, round, and convex, the upper surface being 

 glabrous and very shining. 



Phalacridae. 'J'his family contains a few genera of small ovate or 

 subhemispherical insects Avhich are very shiny and almost, if not quite, 

 glabrous ; the head is sunk in the thorax, with the eyes half hidden ; 

 antennae inserted under the elevated margin of the forehead, 11-jointed, 



* According to the generally received opinion, the maxillae of Sphcerius have only 

 one lobe, but Mr. Matthews has lately discovered that they are really bilobed. 



B 2 



