68 
THE ORDER OF COLEOPTERA. 
principal sections or sab-families into which it has been divided. Mod- 
ern authors divide the family into eleven sub-families, but seven of 
these contain all but a few rare or exotic species. 
The following table exhibits the most conspicuous of their distinctive 
characters : 
A. Body narrow and elongated. Elytra (except in the Tachyporides) covering less 
than half of the abdomen. No ocelli. 
B. Head as wide, at least, as the thorax, and usually attached to it by a short neck. 
C. Labrum bilobed. Antenna: inserted upon the anterior edge of the front. 
Size often large Staphyi.intdes. 
C C. Labrum usually entire. Antennie inserted at the sides of the front. Size 
moderate or small. 
D. Maxillary palpi short. Posterior coxa; wide. Tib® usually spinous on 
the outer edge. Tarsi usually three-jointed. Abdomen parallel. 
OXYTELIDES. 
D I). Maxillary palpi long and clavate. Posterior cox® much longer than 
wide. Tarsi usually flve t sometimes four-jointed. Abdomen more or 
less tapering. 
E. Anterior cox® large. Eyes not prominent Pedekides. 
E E. Anterior cox® small. Eyes large and prominent St ex ides. 
B B. Head narrower than the thorax, and more or less inserted in it, often imper- 
fectly visible from above. 
F. Body depressed, of equal width and obtuse. Elytra usually covering 
a third or less of the abdomen Aleocu ahides . 
F F. Body convex, conical and pointed behind. Elytra sometimes cov- 
ering half or more than half of the abdomen Tacuypohides. 
A A. Body broad and depressed. Elytra usually covering half or more than half of 
the abdomen. Two ocelli on the vertex. Size small Omaludes. 
[Fig. 29.] 
* Sub-family STAPYLINIDES. 
This group stands at the head of the family containing all the largo 
species, sometimes exceeding an inch in length, though some of the 
(Fig. 28.] genera also contain small species. Its two most 
'frjf distinctive characters are those given in the table. 
The antenna; are inserted upon the epistoma, which 
is the ridge which borders the face below, just 
above the mouth. In the other groups of this 
family the antenna; are inserted above the episto - 1 
ma, at the sides of the face, and are usually cov- 
ered at the base by a little prominence. The spe- piiruawHus am- 
Larva of cies are usually found amongst rubbish, or under t£r alley?* 
oubs:” dead leaves or stones. They have been supposed to be mostly 
Weatwoofl. rypophagous, but some of them are known to be eminently 
predaceous. 
More than a hundred N. A. species have been described. 
