PREDACEOUS GROUND-BEETLES. 41 



A. Epimera of the mesotliorax wide and reaching the middle coxce ; epiiuera of 



the metathorax indistinct. 



B. Anterior tibiae quite or almost without notch on their inner side, and never 



toothed on the outer side, botli of their spurs at or near the extremity: 



Carahides. 



B B. Anterior tibiaj with a notch on the inner side, near the end, and toothed 



on the outer side ; one of the spurs at the end and the other above the 



notch ; abdomen pedunculated ; size extremely various ; color black : 



SCARITIDES. 



A A. Epimera of the mesothorax narrow, and not reaching the middle coxaj; epim- 

 era of the metathorax distinct ; anterior tibiae always notched, with one spur 

 at the apex and the other above the notch; abdomen sessile. 

 C. Elytra truncated at the extremity, leaving the tiji of the abdomen exposed ; 

 thorax more or less heart-shaped, and much narrower than the abdomen ; 

 tarsi not at all or but sliglitl}'- dilated; claws often pectinate; color 

 i^sually blue, green, or variegated, rarelj' brown or blackish, never pure 



black Brachinides. 



C C. Elytra entire, covering the whole of the abdomen ; anterior tarsi of the 

 males generally dilated; claws very rarely pectinate; colors various, 

 mostly black. 

 D. Last joint of the palpi as wide, at least, as the others; size various, often 

 small, but rarely very small. 

 E. Anterior tarsi of the males with the three first joints much widened, 

 and covered beneath with a dense brush of hair-like papillaj ; body 

 often hairy or pubescent ; colors usually green or blue-black, some- 

 times, but rarely, pure black Chl^niides. 



E E. Anterior and frequently also the middle tarsi, with the four or three, 

 or rarely two first joints dilated, and usually furnished beueatli 

 with two rows of scale-like papillae, or more rarely with a brush of 

 hairs; body usually smooth and shining; colors mostly black 



or metallic Harpalides. 



D D. Last joint of palpi very small; anterior tarsi of males usually with 

 the first joint much dilated, and the second much less so, and scaly 

 beneath ; size small, usually very small Bembidiides. 



The parts called epimera, made use of in the above table, will be un- 

 derstood by referring to Fig. 3, on page 27, where they are indicated 

 by stars, as explained in the text. In section A, the epimeron of the 

 mesothorax (indicated by two stars in the figure) is wide and*somewhat 

 triangular, and its inner extremity reaches the middle coxa, or rather 

 forms a part of the wall or outline of the coxal cavity. But in section 

 A A, (to which the species represented in the figure belongs) this epim- 

 eron is very narrow, and its inner extremity does not reach the coxal 

 cavity, but impinges upon the anterior angle of the metasternum.* 



It is not necessary, however, that the reader shall study out these 

 parts. The several sub-families are sufiaciently characterized without 



* Tills is best representett, but still imperfectly, on the right hand side of the figure. The inner ex- 

 tremity of the epiineiou should have been represented as touching the metasternum, not at its apex, 

 but a little behind it. 



