68 
BRITISH BEETLES. 
not quite half an inch long, ovate, with very short 
downy hairs ; its head, legs, and antennae are reddish- 
yellow, thorax dark-blue or green, and elytra reddish- 
yellow, with a larg - e blue or green patch at the apex. 
The species of Bradycellus are small reddish insects, 
which are often found under stones, or in moss in 
winter ; Acupalpus exiguus is one of the smallest of the 
British Carabidae ; the rare Stenolophus elegans is one 
of the prettiest of our lesser species : the latter insect 
has been taken in some numbers by Dr. Power on the 
banks of the Thames towards Gravesend and Sheer- 
ness. 
The members of the next division, the Tripal- 
mati, are distinguished by the fact that the males 
have the first three joints of the anterior tarsi dilated, 
cordiform or emarginate, and their soles clothed with 
squamae much as in Harpalus ; the division contains 
four tribes, the Zabrina, Pterostichina, Amarina, and 
Anchomenina. 
A large number of species are contained in this 
division, the most often seen (and the most puzzling 
to the young student) being the “ S unshiners, ” which 
are members of the genera Pterosticlms (sub-gen. 
PoeciLus) and Amara (Plate II., Fig. 4 ; A.fulva, found 
in sandy places). 
These insects may often be seen running rapidly 
over hot paths in the early summer, and are frequently 
to be met with on the wing, and even darting about 
the pavement in London, on the first really warm 
spring day ; when the sun’s rays tempt them from their 
winter quarters, and incite thorn to search for food 
and their mates. The species of Amaru (to kill one of 
which, according to childish superstitions, is to call 
