74 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 94 



The musculature of the leg of TJiinopinus (fig. 26 A) is very 

 similar to that of a typical insect leg as given by Snodgrass (1927). 

 It is not known whether there is any large amount of variation in 

 other members of the family. 



The number of tarsomeres varies from three to five. In some cases 

 the number differs on the same individual — the so-called heteromer- 

 ous condition. The great majority of species in this family have five 

 tarsomeres in each tarsus. This condition is found throughout the 

 subfamilies Omaliinae, Oxytelinae (except Oxytehni), Steninae, 

 Paederinae, Staphylininae, Oxyporinae, Habrocerinae, and Tachy- 

 porinae (except Hypocyptini). 



The exceptions include Micropcphis and the Oxytelini with three 

 tarsomeres in each tarsus, Hypocyptus and Oligota with four, Liparo- 

 cephalus with four in the front and middle tarsi and five in the pos- 

 terior tarsi, and Lorinota and Xenodusa with four in the front tarsi 

 and five in the middle and posterior ones. Aleochara and other aleo- 

 charinids have all the tarsi with five tarsomeres. Thus it can be 

 seen that the heteromerous condition is restricted to certain aleochari- 

 nids, and that five is the normal number. It might be noted that in 

 certain aleocharinids individuals may be found on which the two tarsi 

 of one pair differ. They show the actual fusion or division of the 

 tarsomeres taking place at the present time. 



The claws are simple in all the species studied. They vary some- 

 what in proportions and curvature, but are all similar to the ones 

 shown (fig. 8 J, etc.) . 



Several species have been found to have a few very curiously 

 modified setae (fig. 26 L) along the ventral edge of certain of the 

 segments. In Pelccomalhmi they occur on the fore legs in a long line 

 on the tibia and in a small group at the middle of the ventral edge of 

 the femur, and on the middle legs similarly on the tibia and three or 

 four on the trochanter. In Lafhriuiaeuni they are situated on both 

 the fore and middle legs in a double row on the tibiae and a few on 

 the trochanters. In Proteinus they occur only on the middle legs, a 

 very few near the tip of the tibia and on the trochanter. These setae 

 are very distinct and easily recognizable. On the dorsal extremity of 

 the anterior tibia of Phloeocharis is situated a single seta of unusual 

 shape. It is short and stout, resembling considerably those of figure 

 26 L. The fore tibiae of Bledins are much expanded and bear a large 

 number of very heavy short setae (fig. 26 E). 



The union of the femur to the trochanter is subject to considerable 

 variation. In some the trochanter is attached to the side of the femur, 

 and in some to the truncated end (figs. 8 F, 26 B, C, D, H, K). The 



