Geodephaga INSECTS. Dyschirios. 203 
Group- — GEODEPHAGA {Ground Carnivorous 
Beetles). 
I 
I Of the group or family named Cicindeletce by Lacor- 
daire, only nine species were known in the days of 
Linnseus. At present at least five hundred species are 
known. These are arranged by Lacordaire into five 
tribes, which may be shortly divided in the following 
manner : — 
I. Maxill® ending in a jointed claw. 
A. Third joint of the maxillary palpi longer than the 
fourth. 
a First joint of labial palpi scarcely extending to beyond 
the base of the notch of the mentum, M anticorides. 
They are great, African, large-jawed, black beetles. 
h First joint of labial palpi extending far beyond the 
notch, ..... Megaceplialides. 
Chiefly natives of the New World, though one is 
found in Europe, and one also in N. Australia. 
B. Third joint of the maxillary palpi shorter than the 
fourth. 
a Fourth joint of the tarsi entire, . Cicindelides. 
Tiger beetles, everywhere found, except in arctic and 
antarctic regions; essentially “children of the Sun.” 
There are five British species. 
5 Fourth joint of the tarsi heart-shaped, at least in the 
fore legs, ..... Collyrides. 
Long, thin, long-thoraxed, Asiatic insects, generally 
dark-blue with red legs. 
II. Maxilte without jointed claw, . . Ctenostomides. 
Curious South American insects, with strange palpi. 
The great group or family Carahici contains from 
five to six thousand known species. Lacordaire divides 
it into the following legions and tribes : — 
Legion I. (corresponding with the Grandipalpes of Latreille, 
and the Simplicipedes of Dejean), is known by the tibiae of 
the fore legs being entire; their two spurs are generally both 
apical. It is divided into five tribes : — 
I. Mesosternum indistinct, covered by the prosternum, 
Omophronides. 
Eoundish aquatic-like beetles — S. Europe, North 
America, and Asia; one {Omophron linibatum) 
is figured, Plate 4, fig. 5. 
A. Spurs on fore tibiae, one at the tip, the other before 
the tip, ...... Elaphrides.* 
Found in boggy places. Coleoptera (Plate 4, fig. 1), 
Elaphrus uliginosus, 
B. Both of the spurs apical. 
a Prosternum more or less prolonged behind, antennae 
as it were broken, with the first joints very long, 
Hiletides. 
Antennae of the normal form, . . . Carahides.* 
Among the largest of the race — Europe, Asia, N. Africa, 
N. America, and S. America. 
oa Prosternum not prolonged behind, . Cychrides.* 
With prominent mouth, body bulging behind, convex. 
Legion II. is known by the tibiae of the fore legs being 
more or less deeply notched on the inner side. Spurs of these 
tibiae, one at the tip, the other before the tip. 
The first section of this legion contains but one 
tribe {Pamhorides), in which the fore tibia are scarcely 
notched, and the last joint of the palpi is very large. 
In the second section, which nearly corresponds 
with that named by Latreille, Truncatipennes, the 
* Mr. Waterhouse includes these three families in one, Cara- 
bidse, with thirty-six British species in the genera Notiopliilus, 
Elaphrus, Blethisa, Leistus (with their formidably armed 
mouths), Nebria, Pelophila, Calosoma, the last-mentioned 
winged ; Oarabus, apterous insects : and Cychrus. 
elytra are truncated or notched at the end, nearly in 
all. The tibise of the fore legs are deeply notched, 
and the body is more or less depressed. Lacordaire 
divides the section into nine tribes : — 
I. Mesosternum of normal breadth. 
A. Claw of the maxillpe jointed, . Trigonodactylides. 
Flat insects — Africa, &c. 
B. Claw of the maxillae fixed. 
a Labrum moderate or short. 
b Tongue moderate, more or less detached from its 
appendages iFaraglossce). 
c First joint of the antennie of normal length. 
Elytra truncated at the tip, . . Odacanthides.* 
Elytra entire at the tip, . . Ctenodactylides.'' 
cc First joint of the antenn® elongated, Galeritides.* 
See further on for a figure and description of one. 
hb Tongue very large, without side ajipendages, 
lielltLonides. 
Australian and Indian insects. 
hbb Tongue and appendages united at the sides. 
Body more or less thick and robust, Brachinides.* 
Bombardier beetles, crepitating. 
Body in general much depressed, . Lebiides.* 
Generally distributed. 
aa Labrum very long, rounded in front, Fericalides. 
Java and other Asiatic islands, and Indian continent. 
II. Mesosternum very narrow, . . Fseudomorphides. 
Flat, depressed, aquatic -like insects, also resembling 
Nitidula — a few fine species in Australia, one in N. 
America. Westwood and Guerin have figured them. 
In the third section the elytra are entire at the end 
in nearly all. The anterior tibise, except in Siagon- 
ides, deeply notched, never palmated. Thorax united 
generally to the abdomen by a distinct peduncle. 
I. Intermediate cox® contiguous, • . . Ozoenides. 
Brazilian generally. Near these perhaps Faussidce should 
be placed. See end of Coleoptera. 
II. Intermediate cox® distant. 
a Mentum united witii submentum, . Siagonides. 
Flat, longish-beetles. 
aa Mentum not united with sub-mentum. 
6 Anterior tibi® not widened within at the end. 
Tongue moderate, more or less free in front, JDitomides. 
Tongue moderate, united closely to its appendages, 
Graplvipterides. 
Pretty, flat, desert-loving beetles — Africa and Arabia — 
black spotted with white or lined with white. 
Tongue very large, without appendages, AntMades. 
Coleoptera (Plate 4, fig. 2, Anthia guttata), 
hb Anterior tibi® more or less widened at the end, 
Morionides. 
The fourth section contains one tribe, Scaritides, 
which may be known by the anterior tibise being 
widened at the end, palmated and digitate at the tip, 
and deeply notched inside. The prothorax is separated 
from the abdomen by a peduncle. It is a family of 
generally large, ferocious, sand-loving beetles; our little 
Glivina and Dyschirius belong to this section. 
In the fifth section the elytra are entire at the tip. 
The fore tarsi of the males are sometimes simple, but 
most frequently the three or two first joints are dilated 
into a square more or less rounded at the angles,. except 
the first, which is generally triangular. They are 
clothed below with brushes of hairs 
* Mr. Waterhouse unites these in one family Lebiadm, with 
thirty four species belonging to the genera Odacantha, Drypta 
Zuphium, Folystichus, Demetnas, Bromius, Lehia,Tarus, Alasa- 
reus, Brachinus, &c. 
