STAPHYLINID®. 
113 
inter se by their antennae, of which the basal portion 
varies in the number of its light-coloured joints. 
The Megarthri, living in fungi, under bark, and in 
vegetable refuse, have the thorax deeply channelled 
and notched at the sides and hinder angles ; the 
hinder and intermediate femora and tibiae are also 
more or less curved, thickeued or toothed in the 
males. 
The Phl<eobiin.® are very closely allied to the pre- 
ceding sub-family, but differ in having a single ocellus 
on the vertex of the head. Phleeobium clypeatwm 
(Plate IV., Pig. 4) is a reddish-testaceous insect, 
found in tufts of grass, &e. ; it has similar sexual 
differences to those found in Proteinus. 
The Phlusocharinje have the prothoracic spiracles 
hidden ; the antennae inserted under the lateral margin 
of the forehead; no ocelli; the anterior coxae conic 
and prominent, the posterior transverse and the tarsi 
five-jointed ; the thorax membranous beneath, behind 
the anterior coxae ; and the abdomen widely margined. 
This sub-family is closely allied to the Oxytelince, and 
chiefly differs in the more strongly developed poste- 
rior trochanters. 
We possess but two genera, each containing a single 
species : Phloeocliaris subtilissima, a very small dark- 
brown, dull-looking insect, with the maxillary palpi 
subulate, found in dry dead sticks and wood; and 
Pseudopsis sulcatus, occurring rarely in haystacks and 
vegetable refuse near London, and conspicuous on ac- 
count of its elongate shape, dull black colour, and very 
strong longitudinal furrows and elevations. 
The Piestin*, represented in England by one genus 
and species, Prognatha quadricornis, have the pro- 
i 
