154 SERUICOUNIA. [Malthode* 



nlso by the very short elytra, which hardly reach the middle of the 

 abdomen, and are obscurely yellowish-testaceous at apex. 



Of all the genera of the Coleoptera there is hardly one that presents 

 more difficulties than Malfltodes; the reason of this lies chiefly in the 

 fact that the integument is so soft and fragile that in dead specimens it 

 is apt to shrivel considerably and alter its shape; the delicate male 

 characters therefore require to be examined in fresh or living specimens, 

 or else are wont to appear different to different describers ; as this is in 

 many cases impossible, considerable difficulties have arisen ; again, the 

 external differences are often comparative, and the colour is variable, so 

 that with regard to the size of head, shape of thorax, &c.,' the chief 

 writers of the group sometimes give diametrically opposite descriptions ; 

 with regard to our own species, I do not in all cases feel at all certain of 

 their identity, and it would be of very great advantage if some accurate 

 worker would carefully examine and monograph them. 



MELYBIDJE. 



This family contains about seventy genera and a large number of 

 species, which are widely distributed over the surface of the globe, but 

 are perhaps more characteristic of temperate than of tropical countries ; 

 about thirty genera and four hundred species are found in Europe; the 

 species are characterized by having the antennae inserted in front of 

 the eyes on the produced part of the head, the labrurn distinct, and the 

 feet often furnished beneath with membranous pads or lobes ; the pro- 

 sternum is short, not extending between the coxse, and the coxal cavities 

 are large, transverse, and open behind ; the elytra sometimes cover the 

 abdomen, and sometimes are abbreviated ; the abdomen is composed of 

 six free ventral segments, the sixth being occasionally indistinct ; legs 

 rather long and slender, tarsi in all our species 5-jointed with the 

 fourth joint entire ; antennae serrate or pectinate, filiform, or very rarely 

 monilif orm, often singularly distorted ; body often very hairy ; this is 

 especially noticeable in the Spanish genus Henicopus, which is not 

 represented in our fauna. 



The family may be divided into two tribes, as follows: 



I. Body with extensible vesicles; antenna} filiform, sometimes 



slightly serrate MALAOIIIIMA. 



II. Body without extensible vesicles. 



i. Antenna) serrate ; tarsul claws with or without mem- 

 branous appendages DASYTINA. 



ii. Antenna; moniliform, with the three apical joints larger ; 

 tarsul claws simple PHLCEOPHILINA. 



MALACHIINA. 



The members of this tribe are characterized by the presence of lateral 

 extensible vesicles, which proceed from a fissure beneath the anterior 



