a genus of animals belonging to the clas of insects, and order of coleoptera. The antennae are moniliform; the feelers four in number; the elytra are not above half the length of the abdomen; the wings are folded up and concealed under the elytra; the tail or extremity of the abdomen is single, is provided with two long vehicles which the insect can shoot out or draw back at pleasure. Gmelin enumerates 117 species, of which five only are natives of Great Britain; the murinus, maxillofus, rufus, riparius, chrytomelinus.

1. Murinus. The head is depressed. The colour is grey, clouded with black. The length is six lines. It lives among horse-dung. 2. The maxillofus is black, with ash-coloured stripes, and jaws as long as the head. It inhabits the woods. 3. Rufus is of an orange-colour; but the posterior part of the elytra and abdomen is black, as are also the thighs at their base. 4. Riparius is of a reddish brown colour; but the elytra are azure-coloured; and the head, antennae, and two last rings of the abdomen, are black. It is frequent on the banks of rivers in Europe. 5. Chrytomelinus is black; the thorax, elytra, and feet being testaceous. It is found in the north of Europe.

The insects have a peculiarity to be met with in almost every species of this genus, which is, that they frequently turn up their tail, or extremity of the abdomen, especially if you chance to touch them; in which case the tail is seen to rise immediately, as if the insect meant to defend itself by stinging. Yet that is not the place where the insect's offensive weapons are situated. Its tail has nothing, but in recompense it bites and pinches strongly with its jaws; and care must be taken, especially in laying hold of the larger species. Their jaws are strong, shoot out beyond the head, and are subservient to the animal in seizing and destroying its its prey. It feeds on all other insects it can catch; even frequently two staphylini of the same species bite and tear each other. Though this insect has very small elytra, yet its wings are large; but they are curiously folded up, and concealed under the elytra. The insect unfolds and expands them when he chooses to fly, which he does very lightly. Among the small species of this genus, there are several whose colours are lively and singularly intermingled.

Some of them are found upon flowers, but they chiefly inhabit the dung of cows. Their larvae, which resemble them so much as to be scarce distinguishable, live in damp places underground. They are by some called Rose beetle.