Genera Bledius^ Heterocerus, and Dyschirius. 33 



I. Eyes finely granulated, naked. Middle coxae distant from one another. 



OXYTELUS, PlATYSTETHUS. 



II. Eyes coarsely granulated, hairy. Coxae approximated. 



1. No antennal grooves. 



a. Legs calculated for rooting ; anterior tibiae with only one row of 

 spines, emarginate at the point. The lateral rib of elytra close 

 to the margin. 



Haploderus. 



h. Legs calculated for running; tibiae with fine hairs, not emarginated. 

 The lateral rib of elytra distant from the margin. 

 Carpalimus. 



2. Antennal grooves in front of the eyes. 



Legs constructed for digging ; anterior tibiae whole, with double row 

 of spines ; lateral rib of elytra distant from the margin. 

 Bledius. 



Two attempts have been made at a subdivision of the old 

 genus Bledius, Leach ; but they have failed to command general 

 support, having been aimed rather at an isolation of some more 

 remarkable species than a careful analysis of the mutual rela- 

 tions of the species in general. Nevertheless such a general 

 analysis, carefully executed, reveals so many important dififer- 

 ences between the species, particularly in the structure of the 

 mouth and the prothorax, that it becomes impossible to preserve 

 Bledius, Leach, as an undivided natural genus. This will have 

 become manifest already to those who have studied the descrip- 

 tions and details of the larva which I have given on a former 

 occasion*; and the divisions of the old genus suggested by the 

 differences between the larvse correspond most closely to those I 

 have now to point out in the perfect insects, and wiiich may be 

 thus summed up : — 



I. Terminal part of mandibles thick, with a strong sharp tooth be- 

 hind the apex. Inner lobe of maxillce spinulous, the terminal 

 spines blunt and powerful. Anterior mai'gin of labium straight; 

 lobes rounded, their margins ramified all round ; the spines of 

 the comb (see above, p. 32) ramified at their points. Posterior 

 corners of pronotum rounded, not separated from the posterior 

 margin. 



A. Sockets oi first pair of cox<£ externally open. 



Lobes of labellum with three elongated ramifications, the innermost of 



which is very long, all profusely subdivided. 

 Spinulous ridges of anterior tibice widely separated. 

 Bledius, s. str. 



Danish species : — 1 . JB. tricornis, Herbst, fr. Sometimes re- 



* In the " Observationes de Metamorphosi Eleutheratorum," iu vol. iii. 

 of the ' Natm-hist. Tidsskrift,' tab. 12. 



Ann. ^ Mag, N, Hist. Ser. 3. Vol xx. 3 



