70 THE OEDER OF COLEOPTERA. 



large scattered punctures, whilst in Philonthus the thorax is finely 

 grooved along the edge, and the punctures, also large and few, are ar- 

 ranged in longitudinal rows. The genus Oxyporus, Fab., occupies an 

 intermediate position between this sub-family and the Oxytelides, and 

 is jilaced in the latter by some authors ; but Lacordaire retains it in the 

 present sub-family, the essential characters of which it possesses. The 

 species are not large, but they are unusually broad and robust, and are 

 most readily distinguished by their stout mandibles, which project di- 

 rectly forward, and are crossed at the tip when at rest. The species 

 vary from a quarter to nearly a half an inch in length. Tbey are found 

 in fungi upon trees. 0. rufiiiennis^ Lee, varies from less than tbree to 

 more than four-tenths of an inch in length, glossy black, with light red- 

 dish-yellow elytra, slightly tipped with black at their outer angles. 

 0. femoralis, Grav., between three and four-tenths of an inch; black or 

 brown, with pale dull flaxen-yellow elytra, more broadly tipped with 

 black at the outer angles. 0. vittatus, Grav., very much like the last, 

 but smaller. 0. 5-maculatus (Melsh.) Lee, between three aud four- 

 tenths of an inch ; bright tawny-yellow, with black spots, as follows : 

 one on the vertex, one on each side of the thorax, one covering the outer 

 angle of each elytron, and one on the top of each abdominal segment, 

 the two posterior of which are widened into bands. The females are 

 almost wholly yellow, but the outer angles of the elytra are always 

 black. 0. stygicKS, Say, three-tenths of an inch, body wholly black, 

 labrum, base of antenna?, and tarsi reddish. Two other species, the 

 major and the lateralis, Grav., I have not seen. Xantholinus, Serv., the 

 name indicating the reddish-yellow color of most of the species, contains 

 a moderate number of species, which do not vary much from a quarter 

 of an inch in length In color and general aspect they are liable to be 

 confounded with some of the species of Cryptobium and Lathrobium, 

 in the sub-family of Pederides ; but we shall jjoint out the distinctions 

 when we come to sjieak of those genera. 



Sub-family OXYTELIDES. 



A small group founded upon the genus Oxytelus, Grav. Their most 

 distinctive character is the row of spines on the outer edge of the ante- 

 rior, and sometimes also the middle tibiie. Their antennte are slightly 

 thickened toward the tip, and the abdomen is parallel and usually ob- 

 tuse or rounded at the end, but with the terminal segment abruptly 

 narrowed, forming a small point, to which the name Oxytelus, meaning 

 a pointed end, probably refers. These two characters also serve to dis- 

 tinguish them from most of the Staphylinidoe, except the Aleocharides, 

 and from these they are distinguished by their free heads, which are as 

 wide as the thorax. But their most abnormal character is their usually 



