SHORT AVINGED SC AATSN GER- BEETLES. 
71 
three-jointed tarsi, the last joint being as long as the others united. 
The species are all small, rarely exceeediug a quarter of an inch in 
length, and sometimes being less than a tenth. The spiues or teeth on 
their anterior tibia} indicate their fossorial habits, and accordingly they 
are usually found burrowing into manure or under the bark of decayed 
trees. Mr. Westwood refers to a species of Bledius which is sometimes 
found in great profusion, burrowing into the sand on the sea shore be- 
low high water mark, and where consequently they must often be sub- 
merged by the tide. 
Most of our species, upwards of forty in number, are included in the 
three following genera; the first of which, however, contains but a sin- 
gle species : 
A. Abdomen without a margin ; tarsi five jointed. Size rather large Osomous. 
A A. Abdomen margined ; tarsi three jointed ; size small. 
33. Anterior tibifB with two rows of spines ; body cylindrical Bi.f.dius. 
B B. Anterior tibice with ono row of spines ; body depressed Oxytklus. 
Sub-family BEDE RIDES. 
The species of this group are distinguished by their long clavate 
palpi, the last joint but one being larger than the others, but the last 
joint of all being small and contracted. As a general rule the species 
are more elongated and slender than in the other sub-families, and their 
colors are more various. Their length varies from a half to less than 
a quarter of an inch. They are found mostly in wet places, and are 
very rapid in their motions. Upwards of sixty N. A. species have been 
described. The following are the principal genera : 
A. A ntenim; strongly geniculate, and bristly; size rather large; color black, often strongly tinted 
with red Cuyttobium. 
A A. Antenmc not geniculate. 
B. Head attached to thorax by a nock of ordinary width ; size moderate. 
0. Tarsi simple; color black, sometimes slightly tinted with red Lathrobium. 
C C. Penultimate joint of tarsi slightly bilobed ; orange red, with head and tip of abdomen 
black ; elytra blue PiKDRuus. 
B B. Head attached by a very narrow nock, (except Pahuuinus) ; sizo small, length less than a 
quarter of an inch. # 
D. Body of ordinary form, color blackish. 
E. Head square behind - LlTHOCHABIfi. 
E E. Head narrowed behind Stilicub. 
D D. Body very elongate and slender ; color wholly or partly yellow. 
F. Heiid oblong, obtuse, horizontal, pedunculate Sunius. 
F F. Head short, transverse, sessile Palaminus. 
The names Cryptobium and Lathrobium are expressive of the concealed 
modes of life of these insects under stones or dead leaves, or similar 
situations. The species of the former genus are usually more, and those 
of the latter less, than a third of an inch in length; but this rule has a 
few exceptions. The G. pusillum , Lee.* is but two-tenths of an inch 
long, and on the other hand the L. grande is four-tenths. 
