144 MANDIBULATA. — COLEOPTERA. 



siderably abbreviated : body convex above: sternum dilated anteriorly : legs 

 short : femora compressed, simple : tibia much compressed ; the four pos- 

 terior furnished with two series of spines : tarsi short, simple. 

 The genus Hister, which from the species feigning death when 

 alarmed have been termed Mimic beetles, differs from the other 

 genera of this family by having two series of spines on the four 

 posterior tibiae, combined with a considerable convexity of body, 

 slightly narrowed thorax anteriorly : — from Dendrophilus, by 

 having the antennae differently constructed, the second joint being 

 curved, and the seventh and eighth very short and broad, &c. : — 

 the species inhabit dung, dead animals, rotten vegetable matter 

 and refuse of all kinds. 



A. With the elytra striated ; the external striae entire. 



a. With two longitudinal stria on the sides of the thorax. 



1. The elytra with a marginal stria. 



Sp. 1. Marshami. Plate xviii. f. 5. — Elongatus, subdepressus, ater, nitidus, 

 elytris striis quatuor integris, tibiis anticis tridentatis, posticis spinosissimis. 

 (Long. corp. 3g lin.) 



Hi. Marshami. Staph. Caial. 100. No. 1046. 



Elongate, deep, very glossy, black : head and thorax impunctate, the former 

 with a slightly curved impressed line on the forehead, the latter with two 

 faint striae on the margin, the inner one nearly touching the base: elytra 

 elongate, very smooth, with six obsoletely punctured stria;, of which the one 

 nearest the suture is abbreviated anteriorly, being about half the length of the 

 elytra ; the four following run the entire length, the first being nearly straight 

 and the others slightly curved; and on the outer angle of the elytra is a 

 sixth abbreviated rather faint impunctate one : exposed segments of the 

 abdomen, especially the anal one, much punctate : legs slightly piceous, with 

 the four posterior tarsi thickly furnished with castaneous spines. 



The elongate form of this species, with its dissimilarity of sculpture, and the 

 densely spinose posterior tibiae, at once point out its distinction from its 

 congeners. 



The only example of this insect which I have seen, I obtained 

 from the Marshamian cabinet, in which it was placed as the other 

 sex of Hi. unicolor. 



Sp. 2. merdarius. Ater, nitidus, elytris externe quinque striatis, thoracis late- 



ribus punctatis, antennarum clavaferrugined. (Long. corp. 3 lin.) 

 Hi. merdarius. Ent. Hefte.—Steph. Catal. 100. No. 1047. 



Oblong-quadrate, shining black : thorax scarcely narrowed anteriorly ; the space 

 between the two lateral stria,' thickly punctured: elytra rather deeply striated, 

 the striae slightly punctate, and the two on each nearest the suture abbre- 



