SHORT -WINGED SCAVENGER-BEETLES. 
73 
and a remarkably large proportion of them in ants’ nests. The habit 
of raising the end of the abdomen whilst running, which is sometimes 
practiced by the larger Stapliylini, is almost universal in this sub-family. 
A compilation of the descriptions of all the known North American spe- 
cies of this group, amounting to eighty-one in number, is published by 
Mr. James H. B. Bland, in the fourth volume of the Proc. of the Eut. 
Soc. ot Philadelphia. They are arranged in seventeen genera, many of 
which contain but one, two, or three species. The following six genera 
contain a very large proportion of them : 
.Falagria. 
A. Hoad as wide as the thorax and attached to it by a distinct neck. 
A A. Head narrower than thorax and partly immersed in it. 
15. Thorax widely hollowed in front for the reception of the head. Antennae filiform and longor 
than to the end of the elytra Atemeles 
B B. Thorax not hollowed in front. Antenna) not nearly reaching the end of the elytra. 
C. All the tarsi five jointed; labial palpi four jointed; length an eighth of an inch or more : 
. Aleochara. 
L U Anterior tarsi four jointed, the others five jointed ; length an eighth of an inch or less. 
1). Labial palpi throe jointed; eye 
brown. 
depressed, finely granulated. Color black, or black and 
E. Anteuiuc slender ; abdomen narrowed in front . 
E E. Antenna) robust ; abdomen not narrowed . . . 
1) D. Labial palpi two jointed; eyes large, convex, 
yellow 
Tachyusa. 
Homalota. 
coarsely granulated ; color black ami light 
GyROPHaENA. 
The anomalous little genus Falagria, Mann, is placed in this sub-fam- 
ily by systematists on account of the position of the antenme, and the 
exposed protkoracic spiracle, though it departs widely from it by its 
large pedunculated head. They are only about a tenth of an inch long, 
and ot a reddish black color. Atemeles, Stephens, is of much larger size 
and still more anomalous, and indeed bears no resemblance to the fam- 
ily of Staphylinidas except in its shortened wing covers. One North 
American and three European species are all that are known. They 
inhabit ants’ nests. Our species the A. cava, Lee., is nearly a quarter 
of an inch long, and one-third part as broad, and wholly of a rust-red 
color. Aleochara, Grav., contains a few comparatively large species, 
being usually nearly or quite two-tenths of an inch in length and of a 
broad oval form. Homalota, Maun, contains a great number of small 
obscure species, being mostly black, with the elytra often tinted with 
i eddish brown. The little genus Gyrophcoia, Maun, contains six de- 
sciibed N. A. species, none of which exceed one liue or one-twelfth of an 
inch in length. The most common species are light yellow, with the 
head, a part of the elytra, and the tip of the abdomen black ; but some 
minute species are black varied with reddish-brown. The name Gyroph- 
ana comes from the Greek guros — a circle, and phaino — to appear or resem- 
ble, and alludes to the habits of these little insects of carrying their 
abdomens forwards on their backs, and at the same time bending their 
heads under their breasts, so as to resemble a little ball. 
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