74 BRITISH BEETLES. 



on the under side of the " thorax," behind the coxae of 

 the front pair of legs. 



The ALEOCHARID^;, extensive in numbers and puzzling 

 to determine, have the prothoracic spiracles conspicuous, 

 and the antennae inserted in front, close to the inner an- 

 terior margin of the eyes. The apical joint of their 

 maxillary palpi is very small and needle-pointed, and 

 the labial palpi have mostly 3, though in some (Aleo- 

 chara) 4, in others (Autalia, Gyrophana, etc.) but 2, 

 and in a few (Silusa, Myllcena, etc.) no joints. 



Their front coxae are conic and prominent, being only 

 joined to the prosternum at their upper extremity, and 

 the posterior trochanters are somewhat elongate, run- 

 ning along the base of the femur. 



Their tarsi vary in the number of joints, having either 

 5 or 4 joints to all the feet, or 4 to the front pair and 5 

 to the intermediate and hinder ; and the anterior tarsi 

 are never dilated in the male, which may be known from 

 the other sex generally by the penultimate segment of 

 the abdomen on the upper side having a tubercle or 

 ridge, or an assemblage of tubercles, or a thickened or 

 notched hinder margin. There is, sometimes, in the 

 male a tubercle on the anterior part of the abdomen, 

 and the penultimate segment beneath is often produced 

 in the middle : the antennae, also, are frequently more 

 elongate and robust. 



In habits they are very varied, mostly, however, fre- 

 quenting decayed vegetable matter. Some species (Au- 

 talia, Bolitochara, Gyrophana, etc.), are found in fungi; 

 others (Ocyusa, Tachyusa, Myllana, etc.), haunt very 

 wet places ; many (Ischnoglossa, Phlceopora, etc.) , occur 

 under bark, and some in sandy localities ; members of 

 the great genus Homalota are found in all these habitats. 



