STAPHYLINIDAi. 
97 
actions of the Entomological Society of London, 3rd 
series, vol. i. (1861). 
The genera Oxypoda and Homalota, comprising 
many small species, and very troublesome to begin- 
ners, exhibit a considerable likeness to each other : 
the former may, however, be known by all its tarsi 
being five-jointed (the front tarsi in Homalota having 
only four joints) ; the more elongate basal joint of its 
hind tarsi (except in the instance of Homalota gre- 
garia, which has a similar formation in that respect) • 
its usually more convex form and stouter antennae; 
and the greater sinuation of the hinder margin of its 
elytra. 
Higlossa and Oligota have only four joints to 
all the tarsi; the former genus is remarkable for 
its very long maxillary palpi ; it is found among 
shingle, often below high-water mark, liko the very 
curious little Actocharis Readingii; in Deinopsis 
the tarsi are all three-jointed; the last-mentioned 
genus, together with Myllsena and Gymnusa, are much 
contracted behind, and clothed with a short, more or 
less dense, silky pubescence ; in Myllsena the labial 
palpi are long and slender, and apparently without 
joints. 
Pull descriptions of the British Homalotse will be 
found in Dr. Sharp’s revision of the British species, 
published in the Entomological Society’s Transactions 
for 1869 : the Myllsense are the subject of an essay by 
the Rev. A. Matthews, which will be found in the 
“ Cistula Entomologica” (September, 1883, Part 
xxvii.). 
The Tachyporinac (so named on account of then- 
rapid movements) are composed of usually bright- 
H 
