90 
BRITISH BEETLES. 
more or less angulated or deeply impressed notch in 
the hinder margin of the last segment but one, which 
notch is in some families much increased, and armed 
with lateral teeth, &c., on the ante-penultimate seg- 
ment ; the greater part of the lower surface of the 
abdomen being sometimes affected by somewhat simi- 
lar alterations of structure, and in a few cases adorned 
with curls of hairs. 
In some of the smaller species the penultimate seg- 
ment of the male exhibits a notch, or one or more 
tubercles or ridges (or both) on its upper side. 
The tarsi of the Bracheljtra are for the most part 
five-jointed, though there are many of them in which 
the Heteromerous character is reproduced and reversed, 
the postei'ior and intermediate tarsi having five joints, 
and the anterior only four; some also are entirely 
four-, and a few Wwee-jointed. 
The coxae, especially of the anterior legs, are much 
increased in size, and capable of extension from the 
body ; thus allowing considerable freedom of action 
to those limbs. 
Their antennae are nearly always composed of eleven 
joints, and filiform, sometimes a little thickened 
towards the tip, or even slightly clavate ; and in one 
genus, Hicropeplus (a very aberrant form, which is 
now often placed near the Nitidulidce) , decidedly 
abruptly knobbed. The basal joint is occasionally 
elongate, the antennae then somewhat resembling 
those of the Rhynchophora. 
The remark before made, as to the development of 
the eyes in such species of Geodephaga as frequent 
very wet places, applies also to Brachelytra of similar 
habits ; and in the HomaUidce, besides the ordinary 
