1NSECTA. 



aquatic or shore Insects, thus leading to the Palpicornes, most of which inhabit 

 water, and whose antenna; never consist of more than nine joints. 



The first section will comprise several small tribes. The first, that of the 

 I'.M.i- \ n'i:i>, in a natural series, should be placed near the Pselaphii and 

 Brachelytra. Their antenna-, which are, at least, as long as the head and 

 thorax, slightly enlarge towards the extremity, or are nearly filiform ; their 

 two first joints are longer than the following ones. The head is distinguished 

 from the thorax by an ovoid strangulation. 



The maxillary palpi project, are long and inflated at the extremity. The 

 abdomen is large, oval or ovoid, and embraced laterally by the elytra. The 

 legs are elongated, tliighs clavate, and tarsal joints entire. 



These Insects remain on the ground, under stones and other bodies. Some 

 the Scydmaeni frequent wet places. We will unite them in a single genus, 

 that of 



MASTIGUS. 



Joints of the antennae nearly in the form of a reversed cone, the first very 

 long and the last ones hardly thicker than the others; the two last joints of the 

 maxillary palpi forming an oval club ; thorax almost ovoid ; abdomen oval. 



In all the following Clavicornes the head is generally sunk in the thorax, 

 and the maxillary palpi are never at the same time so much projected and 

 clavate; the ensemble of their physiognomy also exhibits other differences. 



The genus Hister forms our second tribe, which we will name the 

 HISTEROIDES. Here the four posterior legs are more remote from each other 

 at base than the two anterior, a character alone that distinguishes this tribe 

 from all others of the same family. The legs are contractile, and the outer side 

 of the tibia; is dentated or spinous. The antennae are always geniculate, and 

 terminated by a solid club composed of crowded joints. The body is 

 extremely firm, and usually forms a square or parallelepiped ; the praesterimm 

 is frequently dilated anteriorly, and the elytra are as often truncated. The 

 mandibles project, are strong, and frequently unequal as to size. The palpi are 

 almost filiform, or slightly enlarged near the end, and terminated by an oval 

 or ovoid joint 



These animals feed on cadaverous matters and decomposing vegetable sub- 

 stances, such as old mushrooms, &c.: some establish their domicil under the 

 bark of trees. Their gait is slow, and their colour a brilliant black or bronze. 

 Such of their larvae as have been observed those of the cadaverinus feed on 

 the same substances as the perfect Insect Their body is glabrous, soft, and of 

 a yellowish white, the head and first segment excepted, the dermis of which is 

 brown or reddish; it is provided with six short legs, and is terminated 

 posteriorly by two articulated appendages, and an anal and tubular prolonga- 

 tion ; the squamous plate of the first segment is longitudinally canaliculated. 



This tribe, as we have already stated, will consist exclusively of the genus 



HISTKR, Linnaeus, 

 Now consisting of Hister proper, Hololepta, Abrcevs, &c. 



