Linnaeus in this and in many other instances confounded 
the Carabidae with the Heteromerous insects that resemble 
them, and in no instance does the discovery of Geoffroy ap- 
pear to more advantage than it does here; for merely by 
ascertaining the number of joints in the posterior tarsi, the 
family to which the individual belongs is at once ascertained, 
and the correctness of this simple division is fully confirmed 
by the structure of the mouth. 
Cychrus appears to be allied to Calosoma (pi. 330), the 
form of the labrum, See. making some approach to that type. 
It is certainly a very remarkable insect, and its attenuated 
figure, simple tibiae and tarsi, singular mandibles, deeply 
notched labrum, spoon-shaped palpi, and dilated internal 
maxillary ones, and toothless mentum, are all characters 
interesting to those who take pleasure in investigating ano- 
malies and natural affinities. The proportions of the antennae, 
the simple anterior tibiae, connate elytra and absence of 
wings, leave no doubt of its belonging to the true Carabi; 
but its affinity to the Scaritidae by means of Ditomus is I 
think very far from being established. 
The Cychri are found in North America as well as in 
Europe, extending to the eastern boundary of Russia. 
C. elongatus and C. attenuatus have carelessly been recorded 
as British; but the specimens supposed to have been the 
former insect I stated at the time were only varieties of C. ro~ 
stratus ; and Mr. Stephens has since acknowledged the admis- 
sion of the latter to be a mistake of his own: the only species 
found in Great Britain is 
C. rostratus Linn.— Curt. Brit . Ent. pi. 426. 
Black, shining, rugose : mandibles and maxillae castaneous : 
antennae, excepting the 4 basal joints, yellowish-brown with pu- 
bescence : head minutely punctured : thorax thickly, coarsely 
and irregularly punctured, sides margined, a fovea in front, 
excavated at the base with a faint channel down the centre : 
elytra thickly punctured or granulated, sometimes leaving 2 or 
3 indistinct elevated lines on each. 
I have generally found this insect in plantations in May and 
August, amongst moss, dry leaves, and under the trunks of 
decayed trees lying on the ground. It is taken round London, 
particularly “ at Coombe-wood in the spring, amongst dead 
leaves in the water-courses, or under the refuse materials of 
faggots:” it occurs in Devon, near Malvern in Worcestershire, 
is found in Norfolk, and as far to the north as Loch Lomond ; 
and Mr. Haliday informs me he has taken it near Belfast in 
Ireland. 
The Plant is Geranium lucidum (Shining Crane’s-bill). 
