GYKINUS. INSECTS. 257 



points ; feet ferruginous. 1 line long. Inhabits Europe, Lai. 

 Gen. i. pi. 6, fig. 6. 



H. obliquus, Lat. Yellowish or ferruginous ; striae of the elytra 

 sometimes obsolete, with five oblique blackish spots. Inha'bits 

 Europe Lat. Gen. i. 236. 



TRIBE IV. GYKINITES. 



Antennae shorter than the head, club-shaped, with the second 

 joint prolonged exteriorly ; four eyes ; anterior feet long, and 

 advanced in the form of arms ; four posterior ones membran- 

 ous or foliaceous, broad, and fin-shaped, with the joints of 

 the tarsi dilated laterally. 



The body in this tribe is oval and generally shining. The antennae, inserted in a 

 cavity before the eyes, have the second joint prolonged exteriorly, and the following 

 joints, from seven to nine, very short, and united into a club. The head is sunk in 

 the thorax to ( the eyes, which are large and four in number. The labrum is round- 

 ed and ciliated before ; the palpi very small, filiform, arid amounting to six. The 

 thorax is short ; the elytra obtuse and truncated at the posterior end. The Gyrinites 

 are found in stagnant waters and pools, swimming with surprising quickness, de- 

 scribing circles, and darting in various figures with a rapidity which escapes the eye. 

 They are gregarious. The larvae of this tribe are dirty white or grayish, with an ob- 

 long body, divided into thirteen deeply separated segments or rings, with fine hairs 

 on the sides. Their head is oval, elongated, flattened, and furnished with two large 

 bent teeth with brown points^ The first segment of the body is almost double the 

 length of the others, and three pairs of feet are attached to the three first rings. 

 The eight following rings are furnished with long transparent flexible threads, one 

 on each side. They very much resemble small Scolopendrae. 



Gen. GYRINUS, Lin. 



Antennae snorter than the head, fusiform, club-shaped ; four 

 posterior feet broad and compressed. 



G. nalator, Lin. Body of a shining blackish bronze-colour ; feet 

 ferruginous, the four posterior short and compressed ; the ante- 

 rior elongated ; antennae black. 3 lines long. Inhabits Europe. 

 Shaw, vi. pi. II. 



G. rrdnutus, Fab. (G. bicolor, Oliv.) Body greenish black above, 

 below ferruginous ; elytra entire, with dotted striae. Much smal- 

 ler than the preceding. Inhabits Europe. Lat. Gen. ii. 61. 



FAMILY II. BRACHYPTERA. 



Body narrow, elongated, and raised upwards at its posterior ex- 

 tremity when walking; antennas moniliform ; one palpus on 

 each jaw ; elytra shorter than the abdomen, but covering the 

 wings ; anus with cylindrical, conical, and hairy appendages ; 

 coxae of the two anterior feet generally large. 



The greater part of this family are found in dunghills, on decayed vegetables, and 

 mushrooms. 



TRIBE I. FISSILABKI. 



Head entirely separated from the thorax by a strangulation ; la- 

 brum deeply notched. 



I. Labial palpi at least clavate. 



Gen. OXYPORUS, ASTRAP^EUS. 

 VOL. II. R 



