XXII 
membrane, a little prolonged on either side behind the palpus, and 
not at all emarginate in the middle, on the contrary very slightly 
longer there; the labial palpi are widely separated at the base, short, 
and thick, 3-jointed, the basal joint not so long as broad, the second 
not so wide as the first, but slightly longer, about as long as broad, 
terminal joint only about half as broad as the basal joint, cylindric, 
scarcely twice as long as broad, truncate at the extremity. Proster- 
num very short, recluced in front and behind to as great an extent 
as is compatible with its existence, and forming merely a border 
to the large anterior coxæ; these are separated by only a horny 
thin plate; the cotyloid cavities consisting of a depression of the 
prosternum are closed behind by a junction of the rather short 
prothoracic epimera, with the broad prosternum; the coxæ trans- 
verse but quite prominent and exsected at their inner termination. 
Middle coxæ very large, transverse, deeply embedded, extending 
externally nearly to the side of the body ; metasternum short, sepa- 
rating the middle coxæ by a short, not broad process, which con- 
nects in front with the lower face of the perpendicular mesoster- 
num; this extends forwards above to form a thin lamina somewhat 
like what exists in many species of Pilydrus; mesosternal side- 
pieces separating outside the coxæ, the meso- and metasterna. Hind 
coxæ very large, without laminæ, extending to the sides of the 
body; metosternal side-pieces quite invisible. Hind body with five 
ventral segments separated by very deep sutures, the first as 
long (at the sides) as the two following together. Elytra soldered 
together, wings absent Legs rather stout, tibiæ bicalcarate, tarsi 
rather stout, on all the legs and in each sex three-jointed, the 
middle joint half as long as the basal, the terminal rather longer 
than the basal. 
The Siphidæ and their classification have been recently studied 
by D' Geo. H. Horn, and on glancing at his excellent memoir on 
the family (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 1880) it will be seen that the 
three jointed tarsi render it necessary to establish systematically a 
special tribe for the reception of Scotocryptus which will best stand 
between the Cholevini and Anisotomini, and its affinities — which 
are of a general and not a special character — are sufficiently 
expressed by this position. 
Scotocryptus obscurus n. sp. — Nigrescens, subopacus, sub- 
tilissime omniumque brevissime pubescens, antennis rufis, pedibus 
jiceis ; latus, sat convexus, posterius attenuatus. — Long. 8 5/1: 
Ï 2 9 .? Î ? 
lat. 2 1/2 mm. 
4 . , . . 
The upper surface is covered with an excessively minute and fine 
punetuation; antennæ about as long as the thorax, somewhat stout, 
2" joint longer than broad, nearly as long as the exposed part of 
