THE ORDEK OF COLEOPTERA. 



1 . Anterior and middle tarsi of the males witli the four first .joints dilated. 

 A. The dilated joints brush-like beneath. 

 B. Tarsi of the males only dilated; first joint not larger than the others ; size never mnch below 



medium ; color often inclining to brown Anisodactylus, 37. 



B B. Tarsi of both sexes dilated ; first joint much larger than the others ; size small ; color 



mostly black Gyxanduopus, 2. 



A A. The dilated joints scaly beneath. 



C. Meutum usually with a small'median tooth; thorax sub- quadrate ; tarsi not bilobed ; size 



usually about medium ; color black, rarely dark brown or green Haiu'alus, 54. 



CC. Mentum without tooth ; thorax rounded; the last of the dilated joints deeply bilobed j 



size small ; color nsually wholly or in part light reddish-brown Stenolophus, 'J4. 



Q. Anterior tarsi of males with foui' dilated joints, which are scaly beneath ; middle tarsi not dilated ; 

 meutum toothed ; size and color like Stenoloi»hus ; thorax somewhat square-shaped : 



Bkahycellus, 26. 



3. Anterior tarsi of the males with the three tirst joints dilated and scalj^ beneath ; middle tarsi 



not dilated ; size about medium or below. 

 D. Anterior tibiip rather stirat and thickened at the tip. 



E. Body more or less elongated ; thoiax narrower at base than elytra ; size various ; 



color mostly pure black Pteuostichus, 89. 



E E. Body elliptical ; thorax nearly as wide at base as elytra ; three first joints of anten- 



na! carinated ; size medium; colors metallic PacciLUS, 13. 



E E E. Body oval ; thorax wider than long, and as wide at base as elytra ; head small ; 



t color black or blackish Amara, 38. 



D D. Anterior tibia> slender and scarcely thickened at the tip. 



F. Claws pectinate ; tibiae strongly spinous Calatiius, 11. 



F F. Claws .simple ; til>i;e not strongly spinous ; size usually below medium ; often 

 with metallic tints Platyxus, 96. 



4. Anterior tarsi of males with the two first joints dilated, and scaly beneath. 



G. Palpi not acuminate; thorax heart-shaped; size medium or below; color almost 



always shining black Patkorus, 14. 



G G. Palpi ending in a long pointed joint; thorax various ; size small ; color usually 

 light brown Thechus, 0. 



5. None of the tarsi dilated; head rather broad and not narrowed behind the eyes ; size vaxious; 



color brownish. 



H. Anterior tibise abruptly widened at the extremity ; size large Geoplnis, 1. 



H H. Anterior tibiae normal ; size small Agoxodeeus, 10. 



Anisodacfylus haltimoriensis, Say, nearly half an inch loDg, with red- 

 dish-brown elytra, and pale legs, is a very common insect, and is often 

 seen flying in considerable numbers in the first hot days of spring. We 

 have a considerable number of small, active, shining light-brown Cara- 

 bida?, generally less than a quarter of an inch in length, which belong 

 mostly to the three genera, Stenolophus, BradyceUus and Trechus. The 

 second are distinguished from the tirst, in addition to the structure of 

 the feet of the males, by the thorax having distinct angles behind, whilst 

 it is rounded in Stenolojfhus. The distinctive character of Trechus is the 

 form of .the i^alpi, the last joint being elongate, couical and pointed, and 

 the joint before it being somewhat similar, but reversed, so that the two 

 taken together form a fusiform or spindle-shaped body. Fterostichus, 

 Bonelli, is now substituted for Feronia, Latreille, on account of the lat- 

 ter term having been previously used in botany. It contains a vast 

 assemblage of species which have been divided into various sub-genera, 

 but without any fixed distinctive characters. We have already spoken 

 of the close resemblance between Amara and Oodes in the preceding sub- 

 family. The males are distinguished by the structure of their feet, but 



