144 Schiodte's Specimen 



cealed under the recurved margin of the elytra. He has since * 

 given an account of the difference between the larvae of Leiodes 

 and the hitherto known larvae of Silphidce. 



We find, according to the subjoined details of structure, that 

 all the characters exist in Stagobius which, as has been said al- 

 ready, must be considered as common to the Silphidce and Aniso- 

 tomidce, in contradistinction from the Scydmcenidce. The anterior 

 legs are four-jointed, which is the case also in Bathyscia, which 

 is in all respects a genuine form of the Silphidce. It has the same 

 type of the parts of the mouth, the antennae, the coxae, and the 

 hinder portion of the abdomen ; in a word, it possesses the iden- 

 tical essential character, with this notable exception, however, that 

 the post-pectus, which is more developed in breadth, though not 

 to that degree as in Scydmcenidce, forces the hinder coxae (quite re- 

 sembling, in their transversal position, those of the Silphidce) asunder 

 from each other. If to this is added, that this proportion, as far 

 as I know, always represents a very different distribution of 

 muscles in the metathorax, and implies in this case a more or 

 less slow motion, while it renders running quite impossible ; if it 

 is further remembered, how deeply this single circumstance must 

 influence all the functions of life of the animal; and lastly, if its very 

 strange habits are considered, surely there are grounds for regard- 

 ing the animal as the type of a peculiar family. In fact there can be 

 no doubt that this is the correct view, if the family of Anisoto- 

 midce maintains its place as a family independent of the Silphidce, 

 for the deviations of Stagobius from the latter are of far greater 

 weight than those which separate the Anisotomidce. But I cannot 

 admit at present that the slight differences, pointed out by Erich- 

 son, go further than to separate the Silphidce and Anisotomidce as 

 two different groups of the same family ; and, accordingly, I do 

 not place any great value on the deviations of this new form. It 

 must be recollected that we are still very deficient in our know- 

 ledge of the series of the forms here mentioned, and that all that 

 can be expected as yet is a modified view of their internal and 

 external systematical relations. 



* Erichson, Archiv fur Naturgeschichte, 13 Jahrg, 1847, B. 1, p. 285. The 

 point upon which he has laid the greatest stress is this : that the mandibles in the 

 Anisotomidx, and their larva?, are furnished with a molar plate, whereas in the 

 Silpfue there are none. This distinction, according to my observations, does not 

 hold good ; for Choleva has the molar plate ten times longer and stronger than the 

 Anisotomid<£. 



