40 MIOCENE FAUNA. 



very remarkable species clothed with rounded scales (Gymnochila 

 obesa, Heer) belongs to a South- African genus. 



The Cryptophagidae are very minute beetles, five species of 

 which dwelt in fungi and under the bark of trees. The Scaphi- 

 didae, of which two species have been preserved at (Eningen, are 

 also minute fungus-eating beetles ; while the pill-beetles (Byr- 

 rhidae), five species of which occur, no doubt fed upon the soft 

 mossy cushions of the forests, in the same way as their living 

 congeners. 



Of the numerous tribe of Brachelytra, the members of which 

 are so easily recognized by their elongated abdomen, only ten 

 species, belonging to four families, have been preserved at 

 GEningen ; and even these are rarely met with. The extremely 

 numerous and difficult family of the Aleocharidse is represented 

 only by two exceedingly minute Homalotte ; that of the Oxyte- 

 lidse by an Oocytelus (0. procevus, Heer), which probably lived in 

 manure, and a Bledius (B. speciosw, Heer, fig. 278), which is 

 much larger than any existing species, and differs remarkably 

 from them in form. The Staphylinidse furnish a Staphylinus , a 

 Lathrobium, and two Owypori. 



Some of the Gyrinidse (whirligigs) inhabited Switzerland as 

 early as the Liassic epoch (see vol. i. p. 90). Of these water-beetles 

 two (Eningian species (fig. 281) are very different from those of 

 the Lias. They belong to a genus (Dineutus) which no longer 

 occurs in Europe, but is represented in America by similar 

 forms. 



The Dytiscidse are the most voracious insects of prey of 

 the Miocene fresh waters. Twelve species have been preserved 

 at GEningen ; and these differ but little from existing species. 

 One of them, Dytiscus Lavateri, Heer (fig. 279), very closely re- 

 sembles the bordered water-beetle (D. marginalis, Linn.), the 

 commonest species of the Swiss waters. The males of the latter 

 have smooth elytra, and the females deeply furrowed elytra, 

 which difference also occurred in Tertiary times (fig. 279, , b) ; 

 and even the yellow border which occupies the margins of the 

 elytra is still retained. The species of Cy bister differ from those 

 now inhabiting Europe ; one of them (C.Agassizi, Heer, fig. 280) 

 has its nearest allies in Indian and Mexican species (C. limbatus, 

 Fab., and foveatus) ; a second (C.Nicoleti, [Heer), which has been 



