Scydmcenidtv.'] CLAVICORNIA. 73 



with erect hairs ; they occur in moss, under stones, under bark, in ants' 

 nests, &c., and are often found in company with Pselaphidse. We know 

 comparatively little of the family ; a large number of species have been 

 described from almost all parts of the world, but more are perpetually 

 being found in every district which is worked for them ; the generic 

 differences are by no means strictly denned ; several new genera have 

 recently been formed to include various divisions of the large genus 

 Scydmceniis, but they must be regarded as only a provisional arrangement 

 towards the final settlement of the genus. The British families may be 

 defined as follows : 



J. Last joint of maxillary palpi narrow, distinct, subulate; 



thorax narrower than elytra SCTDM^NINA 



II. Last joint of maxillary palpi very short and broad, obsolete, 

 obtusely pointed, and rounded in conjunction with the 

 third joint. 

 i. Thorax narrower than elytra ; antenna3 feebly geniculate 



with the first joint as long as the two following .... EUMICEINA. 

 ii. Thorax as broad or nearly as broad as elytra ; antenna} 



straight ; first joint not as long as the two following . . CEPHENIINA. 



SCYDULENINA. 



This tribe contains the old genus Scydmcenus, which is now divided 

 into several genera on certain characters of the head, thorax, coxse, &c. ; 

 upwards of two hundred species are enumerated in the Munich catalogue, 

 but this number by no means represents the limits of the genus. Our 

 species may be subdivided as follows: 



I. Head short, without distinct neck, eyes approximate to 



margins of thorax. 

 i. Thorax strongly margined, with sides nearly straight 



from base to beyond middle; hind coxse contiguous . . NETTBAPHES, Thorns. 

 ii. Thorax cordiform without distinct margins ; hind coxse 



moderately separated SCTDM^INTTS, Lair. 



II. Head long, divided from thorax by a distinct neck; eyes 



placed at a considerable distance from margins of thorax . EUCONNUS, Thorns. 



NEUHAPHES, Thomson. 



This genus contains about sixty European species ; it is distinguished 

 from Scydmcenus by the shape of the thorax and the contiguous hind 

 coxse ; none of our British species are common ; the insects that stand 

 in our collections under the name of S. pumilio ( =minutus, Chaud.) 

 appear to me to be nothing more than varieties at the most of S. 

 SparslialU. 



I. Forehead with a strong fovea near eyes ; thorax at 

 base with a fine longitudinal keel above scutellum. 



i. Thorax distinctly punctured N. ELONGATULUS, Will* 



ii. Thorax not, or scarcely, punctured. 



1. Size larger ; thorax about as long as broad, 

 strongly narrowed and angled at sides on 

 anterior third N. ANGULATUS, Mull. 



