210 Prof. J. C. Schiodte on the Classification 



the ventral surface more vaulted, the marginal ribs of the elytra 

 eiFaced, their deflected lateral part (epipleura) is more bent 

 in and diminished in size behind the coxse ; the legs are more 

 arranged for running, with delicate feet and weak claws; the 

 hairy covering becomes more close and silky, the sculpture less 

 distinct, the ribs of the elytra lower, the colour duller, yellowish, 

 brown, red, but never strongly metallic. 



The development of the E/a^er-type in the opposite direction, 

 towards springing and day life, is characterized by the following 

 marks : — 



1. The eyes become less smooth, the facets protrude more, 

 and the appearance of the cornea becomes duller. 



2. The sensitive pores are more equally spread over the whole 

 surface of the antennae. 



3. The forehead slopes more gradually down towards the 

 mouth ; the antennae are further removed from one another ; the 

 prothorax is more elongated, the mucro saltatorius presents a 

 more direct continuation of the prosternal spine ; the legs pro- 

 trude more to the sides ; the animal is less arched both above 

 and below, the margins are sharpened, the whole outline becomes 

 a more elongated ellipse ; the marginal rib of the elytra becomes 

 flatter and remains entire ; the epipleura is more straight and 

 broader ; the legs are more especially adapted for walking and 

 climbing, with club-shaped terminal tarsal joint and powerful 

 claws ; the body is more closely haired, the sculpture coarser; 

 the ribs of the elytra are raised at the base; the colour is 

 heightened often to metallic lustre, or to distinct design. 



If every combination of characters drawn from this circle were 

 used for the foundation of genera, we should reach that point 

 towards which modern classification for a long time has been 

 tending in this family as in others, viz. the identification in 

 most cases of genus and species ; for all these features unite in 

 the most multifarious manner, constantly appearing in new 

 cross combinations. In the following synoptical table of the 

 Danish species these characters are therefore considered sub- 

 ordinate, and only used for the classification of species within 

 the boundaries of the different genera. These latter are founded 

 on other characters, which have been explained in all essential 

 points in the preceding chapters, so that but little remains to 

 be added here. 



That Sternoxi exhibit similar difi'erences in the composition of 

 the sockets of the middle pair of coxae to those observed in 

 Carabidae has been noticed in an earlier treatise*. Since then, 



* Proc. Royal Soc. of Copenhag. 1865, p. 360. See Ann. & Mag. Nat. 

 Hist. ser. 3. vol. x. pp. 377-3/9. 



