4®s 
stajhylincs. 
Genus XXIX. — Staphylinus . 
TT HE antenme of this Angular tribe are moniliform : The 
elytra, by which they are readily dtftinguifiied, feem as if 
cut through by the middle, and do not extend half the 
length of the abdomen. Under thefe cafes the wings are 
folded up, and concealed. The extremity of the abdo- 
men is unarmed, but provided with two oblong veficles 
which the infect can fhoot out or rerradt, at pleafure. 
The llaphylini are fometimes fcen upon flowers ; but 
their principal rel’ort is to the dung of cows. All of 
them when touched turn up the tail, as if with an inten- 
tion to fling. They are, however, unprovided with that 
inftrument, but bite feverely with their jaws when laid 
hold of. In their larva Hate, thefe infects fo much re- 
ferable the perfect animal, that they cannot ealily be di- 
ftinguilbed *. - 
Staphylinus maxillofus, is the larged Britijh infect of 
this genus. The jaws, from which it obtains its Linnxan 
name, are fharp, hard, and rather longer than the head. 
The whole infect, both above and below, is of a deep 
black : The elytra do not cover more than one third of 
the abdomen, which appears beyond them, rough and 
hairy. The legs are long ; each of the tarfi is provided 
with a tuft of hair refembling a brufh This and the 
other fpecies can fly by means of large wings, which un- 
fold from under the elytra f . 
* Barlwt, p. 9J. f Rai Inf. p. 109. n, 1, 
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