HISTERIDiE. ABR.EUS. 141 



depressed : elytra truncated at the apex, leaving the extremity of the abdomen 

 exposed; the lateral margin indexed : wings ample: legs robust, contractile : 

 tibiae compressed, externally dentate : tarsi short, filiform, terminated by two 

 stout contractile claias. 



The Histeridse differ from the insects of the foregoing family, to 

 which they are evidently allied, by their geniculated antennae, 

 which are generally terminated by a nearly solid triarticulate club, 

 and by their abbreviated elytra : — they inhabit various decaying sub- 

 stances, occurring in dead animals, dung, putrid fungi, beneath the 

 bark of decayed or dead trees, &c, occurring chiefly in the spring 

 and summer ; they walk slowly, and when touched become im- 

 moveable, contracting their legs and antennae like the Byrrhidse : 

 they fly, however, with rapidity. 



The following are the indigenous genera, as proposed by Dr. 

 Leach in the Zoological Miscellany: 



fcrassum, subgloboso-convexum. j haud sulcata : 181. Abiueus. 



Sternum simplex. Elytra < 



„ J (sulcata: . 182. Onthophilus. 



Lorpus< 



\ fduplici serie spinosae : 



^depressuni. Tibiae 



4-posticce < 



183. HlSTER. 



Tsubcon- 

 [simpiici serie j vexum: 184.Denbrophilus. 



spinulosse. Corpus \ 



■ 

 l planum : 185. Platysoma. 



Genus CLXXXI. — Abr^us, Leach. 



Antennae with the basal joint moderately elongated ; the second and third sub- 

 cylindric; the latter less robust; the fourth short; the three following sub- 

 globose, and nearly equal; the eighth lenticular-subglobose; the three ter- 

 minal ones forming a short-ovate club: head convex, retractile, deflexed: 

 thorax rather narrowed anteriorly : body short, robust, subglobose, not sul- 

 cated above: sternum not dilated anteriorly: legs elongate, slender; tibiae 

 straight, slender, the anterior somewhat triangular, all simple : tarsi long and 

 slender. 



The Abrsei are the most minute insects of the present family, 

 and may readily be known by their more or less globose form, 

 truncate, unsulcated, elytra, slender and simple tibiie, and by the 

 structure of the antennae : — they inhabit rotten wood and vegetable 

 refuse. 



