82 BRITISH BEETLES. 



that is placed in its path. The pupa appears to have a 

 fringe of long hairs on the front of its thorax. 



Two species of this genus, morio and compressus, are 

 distinguished by the want of any inner tooth to their 

 mandibles, which are simply sickle-shaped. 



The great number of Philonthi, black or brassy in- 

 sects, with the elytra sometimes spotted or suffused with 

 red, are divided into sections, characterized by the longitu- 

 dinal row of punctures on each side of the middle of the 

 thorax ; those of the first section having the disk smooth, 

 and the others increasing from two rows of three punc- 

 tures each, until the thorax is entirely thickly punc- 

 tured, with the exception of a smooth middle line. Some 

 little caution, however, is required in separating speci- 

 mens by this character, as there are sometimes irregular 

 punctures, interfering with the proper dorsal rows, and 

 often not alike on both sides. 



The XANTHOLINID^E have the prothoracic spiracles as 

 in the Staphylinida ; but their antennae are inserted be- 

 fore the base of the mandibles, and are not more distant 

 from each other than they are from the eyes. The 

 species are mostly very long and narrow, with the basal 

 joint of the antennae elongate (whereby the antennae 

 become elbowed, as in thePhyncophord), the middle legs 

 rather longer than the others, and the elytra uneven 

 and rather lapped over at the suture ; the genus Othius, 

 however, has the antennae of the usual structure and the 

 suture straight. 



The members of this family are found in moss, decay- 

 ing vegetable matter, sandpits, etc., one species, Lepta- 

 cinus formicetorum, occurring in ants' nests ; and they 

 are not conspicuous for variety of colour, being at most 

 black, slightly relieved by yellow or red. 



