440 COLEOPTERA. 



iiute, oval, brown, shiny insects found under stones near water, 

 under bark and in ants' nests. Scydmcunus is the t^'pical genus. 



PsELAPiiiD^ MacLeay. In this group the kibial palpi are 

 ver}'^ small, while the four-jointed maxillar}- palpi are of re- 

 markable length ; the eyes are composed of large lenses, and 

 are sometimes wanting ; the elytra are short, truncated, beneath 

 which the wings, Avhen present, are folded and the legs are 

 long and the femora are stout, while bej'ond the leg is usually 

 slender. "The species are very small, not exceeding one- 

 eighth of an inch in length, and are of a chestnut-brown color, 

 usuall}' slightly pubescent ; the head and thorax are most fre- 

 quentl}^ narrower than the elytra and abdomen, which is con- 

 vex and usually obtuse at tip. Many are found flying in 

 twilight ; their habits at other times are various, some being 

 found in ants' nests, while others occur under stones and bark. 

 Noi'th America seems to be rich in this family ; more than fifty 

 species are known to me, and several of the genera have not 

 occurred in other countries. This family closely* approaches 

 the StapliylinidcB, but the ventral segments are fewer in 

 number, and not freely mo\'ing, and the eyes are composed of 

 large lenses." (Leconte.) The genus Claviger and its allies 

 Adranes emeus Leconte, which is found in ants' nests in North- 

 ern Georgia, have antennce with less than six joints ; it is 

 blind, and the antenmB have only two joints. Pselajjhtis and 

 its allies have eleven-jointed, rarely ten-jointed antenuifi. 



Staphtlinid.e Leach. The Rove-beetles are easily recog- 

 nized by their long linear black bodies, with remarkably short 

 el^'tra, and seven to eight visible horny abdominal segments. 

 The maxillae are bilobate, usually ciliated, with four-jointed 

 palpi, except in Aleochara, when there is an additional joint ; 

 the antennae, variable in form and insertion, are usuallv eleven- 

 jointed, and while the legs are variable in length and form, 

 the anterior coxae are usuallj^ large, conical, prominent and 

 contiguous. Though sometimes an inch in length, they are 

 more commonty minute, inhabiting wet places under stones, 

 manure heaps, fungi, moss, under the bark or leaves of trees. 

 Many species inhabit ants' nests, and should be carefullj^ 



