OOLEOPTERA. 507 



is entire, and the maxillary palpi arc almost as long as the head, termina'ed in a mass formed of the 

 third joint, the fourth being concealed or very indij,tiiict, and forming a small point terminating this 

 mays, when present, the preceding being very macli swollen. These insects live upon tlie margins of 

 water. 



PcederuSy Fabr., has tbe antenna inserted before the eyes, filiform, or {gradually increasing in size, and lonji^er 

 than the head ; body lonp; and narrow ; and mandibles toothod and pointed at the tip, with the penultimate joint 

 of the tarsi bifid. Type, Sttipli. riparlus, Linn., [a pretty little common British species]. 



Saiicus, difters in havin<2; all the joints of the tarsi entire. 



Procin-KSj Latr., has the last joint of the maxillary pulpi distinct, and forming a terminal mass ; the head is 

 attached by a long peduncle ; thorax long and narrow ; and the fore tarsi dilated. P. Lcfeburi, Latr., Sicily. 



Eresf/iefi's, Grav., has the antennie inserted bofoie the eyes, but not longer than the head, and moniliform ; body 

 slightly elongated. E. scaber, Grav. 



iSlenitf!, Latr., has the antenn:c inserted near the inner margin of the eyes, and terminated by a mass formed of 

 the last three joints; the eyes are targe, and the mandibles furcate. >Staph. bijut/atm-, hum. ; black, with a red 

 dot on each elytron ; [very common.] 



The third section, Dentkrura, differs from the preceding in having the maxillary palpi much shorter 

 than the head, with four distinct joints ; the tibiae at least of the fore-legs are toothed or spined ; tlic 

 tarsi fold back on the tibijc, and have the last joint as long as all the preceding together, some of whicli 

 are more or less obsolete. The front of the head is cornnted in the males of some species. 



OjL-yichis^ Grav., ditTers from all the rest in having the palpi terminated by a hatchet-shaped joint, the antenna 

 moniliform and gradually thickened, with only three distinct joints to the tarsi. [A very numerous genus.] 



Osorius, Leach, has the jialpi filiform, the body c*,Iindi'ic, and the mandibles much shorter than the head. The 

 E!iecies are from South America. 



Zirojiliorus, Dalm. (Irena-iis, Leach ; Ptestiis^ Grav.), has the body depressed, the fore tibiae alone toothed on the 

 outside, the antennae at least as long as the head and thorax, and mandibles as long as the head. (See Dalman's 

 Anal. EntomoL, p. 23.) 



[^Leptochirufs, Gcrmar, difters from the last in the nntenns being very short. Tlie species of both are tropical.] 



Proiptotha, Latr. [Siagonuim, Kirby) [not 'iiagona'], difTers fi'om Zirophorus in the antenna; being filiform, and 

 composed of elongated Joints. [.S'. qnadriconte, Kirby; a rare British species.] 



Coprophflus, Latr. [Eloniuni, Leach], has the body flattened, but all the tibiae are toothed on the outside ; the 

 antennre much Lunger than the head, and the mandibles not toothed. OmaUum rugosum, Grav. 



The fourth section, Depressa, has the head free, the labium entire, and the maxillary palpi short, with 

 four distinct joints ; but the tibiae are simple, without teeth or spines, and the tarsi distinctly 0-jointed. 



Omalhim, Grav. (having the thorax as broad as the elytra, and transverse-quadrate), Lcsteva, Latr. {Antho- 

 jihagns, Grav., having the thorax narrower than the elytra, and in the form of a truncated heartj, luuc the pali'i 

 filiform, but the following have them hatchet-shaped : — 



Mlcropeplus, Latr., has the antenna; terminated by a solid club, and received into channels of the thorax. M. 

 porcnins, [a minute British species]. 



Pruf chilis, Latr., has the antennai perfoliated, and thickened towards the tip, but free, and inserted before the 

 eyes. [P. ovidis, a common insect found in moss.] 



Alcochara, Grav., has the antennre inserted between the eyes, or near their lower edge, and free; the thorax is 

 nearly oval, or square, with the angles rounded- [xV very extensive group of insects, now cut up into a great 

 number of genera and subgenera by Stc[/hcns, Erichson, and others.] 



The fifth section, Mlcrocephala, has tlie head received into the thorax as far as the eyes, not l)Ging 

 attached by a neck, nor an evident narrowed space ; the thorax is trapeziform, and enlarged from the 

 front to the hind part; the body is less elongated than in the preceding, and approaches more an 

 elliptical form ; the head is much narrower, and sharpened in front ; the mandililes of moderate size, 

 without teeth, and simply curved to the point; the elytra, in many, cover more than the half of the 

 abdomen. Some of the species live in fungi, or upon flowers, and others in dung. 



Lo/)t<.'c//usa, Grav., has no spines to the tibiae ; and the antennce (often shorter than the head and thorax), after 

 the fourth joint form a perfoliated mass; and the palpi are terminated by a hatchet-shaped joint: some have 

 the sides of the thorax not raised. Aleochara bipiaicfata, Grav., &c. ; and the others have them elevated : these 

 form Gravenhorst's genus Lomechiisa ; L. paradoxa, &c. 



Tachinus, has the tibia; spiny, the joints of the antenna:' are pear-shaped, and the paliii filiform. Type, Oxij- 

 poriis subterraneiis, and many other Oxyporl, Fabr. 



Tachyporusy Grav., is like Tachinus in the tibice and antennae, but the palpi are terminated by a hatchet-shaped 

 juint. O.Ti/porm riifipes, Fabr., C/iiysomelinm, Fabr., and a great many others. 



Callicenis, Grav., stated by Latreille to be unknown to him, [is oblong depressed; with the last joint of the 

 antenna; disproportionately long ; the third joint of the maxillary palpi swollen; and the last minute. Type, ^ 

 i^pencii, K. Curtis, Brit. Ent.,v\. -1-13.] 



."Stenosthctus, Meg., andDej. Cat., must be suppressed, being a true Pselaphus, [or rather an Euplectusb 



