STAPHYLIXIB-E. OCYPUS. 211 



Sp. 9. confinis. IXiger obsciirus, capite thoraceque nitidissimis, punctatis, cunt 



elytiis nigroceneis. (Long. corp. 6 — Tlin.) 

 Oc. confinis. Kirbij MSS.—Steph. CataJ. 276. No. 2911. 



Black, obscure, subpubescent : head rounded, blackish-brass, punctulated, very 

 glossy, glabrous : thorax also shining blackish-brass, and thickly punctured : 

 elytra obscure blackish-brass, with an impressed point within the apex: 

 abdomen punctured above and beneath : legs pitchy-black, with the tarsi 

 rufo-piceous : antennae pitchy-black, slightly pilose. 



Taken beneath bark in Essex, and also found near London, but 

 very rare. 



Genus DVI.— Ocypus, Kirbij MSS. 



AntenncE rather slender, filiform, the basal joint elongate, slightly bent and 

 subclavate, second short, obconic, third elongate-conic, four following some- 

 what cylindric-conic, the remainder turbinated, with the terminal one 

 emarginate, acute. Palpi maxillary filiform ; labial with the apical joint 

 somewhat securiform: mandibles elongate curved acute, with their inner 

 edge simple or obscurely waved : head broad, mostly rounded: thorax trun- 

 cate in front, rounded behind: elytra rather short, depressed: abdomen 

 elongate, convex, with the sides much elevated : legs moderate ; iibice 

 setose : tarsi, anterior, considerably dilated. 



The curved simple mandibles of the insects of this genus form so 

 prominent a character, that they may be at once recognized from the 

 others of the family by that alone : there are, however, other discri- 

 minating marks, as the subclavate labial palpi, obscure body, &c. 

 They usually reside beneath stones, or under dead and decaying 

 leaves ; and it would appear from the simphcity of their oral organs 

 that they were less rapacious in their habits than the Goerii, which 

 are extremely voracious. 



Sp. 1. similis. Ater, subtovientosus opacus, capite thoraceque punciulaiissimiSi 



tarsis piceis. (Long. corp. 5 — 7 iin.) 

 St. similis. Olivier. — Oc. similis. Steph. Catal. 276. No. 2910. 



Black, slightly shining, subtomentose : head suborbiculate, very thickly punc- 

 tured, with a smooth intermediate line : thorax the ^ame: elytra black, very 

 obscure: abdomen with transverse impressed points: legs short, pitchy- 

 black, with the tarsi rufo-piceous : antennae with the apex rufo-piceous. 



Very abundant in sand-pits, &c. within the metropolitan district ; 

 also found beneath dead leaves, bark, &c., during the winter. 

 " Raehills.''— i2er. W. Utile. 



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