2 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



but seems not to have examined them very closely, and to have acquired no very 

 precise idea of their nature. I shall, therefore, under the present head, enlarge a 

 little upon this subject. 



The Predaceous Beetles, considered with respect to this circumstance, are of 

 three descriptions. 1. Those that exhibit no such distinction. 2. Those that 

 have only the anterior tarsi or hands dilated. 3. Those that have the two anterior 

 pair so circumstanced. 



1. This sexual character, though very general, is not universal in the Adephaga. 

 In the Cicindelidans the dilatation, though existing, is less conspicuous ; in the 

 ColUuridans the tarsi in both sexes are dilated, so that in them it is no sexual 

 distinction ; and the same circumstance occurs in the LongicolUa — Agra, Casnonia, 

 &c. amongst Latreille's Truncatipennes (Brachinidce Mac Leay) ; in the Manti- 

 coridans, and the Bipartiti Latr. ( Scar it idee Mac Leay) and likewise in some of 

 the Truncatipennes, as Lebia, Dromia, and in some Carabidans, as Procerus, there 

 is no dilatation in either sex ; and amongst the Hydradephaga Mac Leay, the 

 sexes of Haliplus seem very slightly distinguished in this respect. 



2. The majority of the Geadephaga have only the anterior tarsus or hand 

 of the male dilated, and may be distinguished, with regard to this circumstance, 

 by the name of Dimani ; some of the Truncatlpennes have only the posterior side 

 of the joints dilated, this is the case with Anthia, Galerita, &c. but, more ' gene- 

 rally, both sides of the three or four first joints are so circumstanced ; in the 

 Hydradephaga, only in Hydaticus and Acilius, this character is restricted to the 

 hand. 



3. Amongst the Geadephaga, Latreille's Quadrimani — Harpalus, Ophonus, Ste- 

 nolophus, &c. — have the joints of the four anterior tarsi dilated, but amongst the 

 Hydradephaga this character is to be found in the majority. 



The next circumstance, that calls for our attention, is the number of these dilated 

 joints, for they vary in different tribes and genera. Thus the Peryphidce have the 

 first joint only of the hand dilated ; the Bembidiadce the first and the posterior 

 side of the second ; Patrobus, Pogonus, &c. the two first ; but the most common, 

 or what may be called the typical structure in this respect, is that in which the 

 three first joints are dilated ; this obtains in the Cicindelidce, Calosoma, and the 

 great majority of the Eutrecha, even in those that have the four anterior tarsi 

 dilated ; in the Hydradephaga the same number prevails ; in the Carabidans and 

 Trechus, &c. four joints are dilated. 



The most important circumstance, however, connected with the present subject 



