At first sight the Micropepli have so much the appearance of 
the Staphylinidae, that they might easily be mistaken for a group 
of that family; we consequently find Gyllenhal including them 
with the Omalia. Latreille first placed our genus between 
that family and the Necrophagi, although he has since in the 
Families Naturelles assigned to it a very different situation ; 
namely, between Cryptophagus and Scapliidium : — upon con- 
sulting our characters of the former genus, and the dissections 
at folio 160, we think that the analogy can no longer be main- 
tained, neither do we believe that it is in any way related to 
Scaphidium. We have long entertained an opinion that it 
would be found to unite the Nitidulse and Histeridae ; for it is 
undoubtedly related to Cateretes, and is very analogous in 
habit to the Nitidula bimaculata of Olivier; and it is evidently 
closely allied to Onthophagus of Leach, which it resembles in 
the shape of its antennae and legs, and even in sculpture. 
There are now three distinct species of this genus. 
1. M. porcatus Fab., Oliv. 3. tab. A. f. 33. — Marsh. — sul- 
catus Herb. Dej. 
Found in May and June in grassy and sandy places in Nor- 
folk and at Bexley in Kent, and on a fine day in November 
I once took several upon paling near Barham, Suffolk. 
2. M. Staphylinoides Marsh., Gyll . 
From February to June, sandy places; and it has been ob- 
served in Ireland flying near dunghills in October. 
3. M. tesserula Hal., Nob. 
The natural size of this minute and curious insect is given 
by the side of the magnified figure. It was sent to me by the 
captor, A. Henry Haliday, Esq., with the following memo- 
randum. 66 Taken out of a pond in a marsh near Belfast, in 
the County Down, early in February 1827 : it was perfectly 
lively and active when taken.” 
The plant is Alchemilla alpina (Cinquefoil Lady’s Mantle). 
