70 
THE ORDER OF COLEOFTERA. 
large scattered punctures, whilst in Philonthus the thorax is finely 
grooved along the edge, and the punctures, also large and few, are ar- 
ranged in longitudinal rows. The genus Oxyporus, Fab., occupies an 
intermediate position between this sub-family and the Oxytelides, aud 
is placed in the latter by some authors ; but Lacordaire retains it iu the 
present sub-family, the essential characters of which it possesses. The 
species are not large, but they are unusually broad and robust, and are 
most readily distinguished by their stout mandibles, which project di- 
rectly forward, aud are crossed at the tip when at rest. The species 
vary from a quarter to nearly a half an inch iu length. They are found 
in fungi upon trees. 0. rujvpennis , Lee., varies from less than three to 
more than four-tenths of an inch in length, glossy black, with light red- 
dish-yellow elytra, slightly tipped with black at their outer angles. 
0. femoralis, Gray., between three and four-tenths of an inch ; black or 
brown, with pale dull flaxen-yellow elytra, more broadly tipped with 
black at the outer angles. 0. vittatus , Gray., very much like the last, 
but smaller. 0 . 5-maoulatus (Melsh.) Lee., between three aud four- 
tenths of an inch ; bright tawny-yellow, with black spots, as follows : 
one on the vertex, one on each side of the thorax, one covering the outer 
angle of each elytron, and one on the top of each abdominal segment, 
the two posterior of which are widened into bands. The females are 
almost wholly yellow, but the outer angles of the elytra are always 
black. 0. stygicus, Say, three-tenths of an inch, body wholly black, 
labrum, base of antennas, and tarsi reddish. Two other species, the 
major and the lateralis, Grav., I have not seen. Xantholinus, Serv., the 
name indicating the reddish-yellow color of most of the species, contains 
a moderate number of species, which do not vary much from a quarter 
of an inch iu length In color and general aspect they are liable to be 
confounded with some of the species of Oryptobium aud Lathrobium, 
iu the sub-family of iPederides ; but we shall point out the distinctions 
when we come to speak of those genera. 
Sub-family OXYTELIDES. 
A small group founded upon the genus O.vytelus, Grav. Their most 
distinctive character is the row of spines on the outer edge of the ante- 
rior, and sometimes also the middle tibiae. Their antennae are slightly 
thickened toward the tip, and the abdomen is parallel aud usually ob- 
tuse or rounded at the end, but with the terminal segment abruptly 
narrowed, forming a small point, to which the name Oxytelus , meaning 
a pointed end, probably refers. These two characters also serve to dis- 
tinguish them from most of the Stapliyliuidse, except the Aleocharides, 
aud from these they are distinguished by their free heads, which are as 
wide as the thorax. But their most abnormal character is their usually 
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