44 Mr. Lracn’s Essay on the Genus Melee. 
y Capite neo; thorace punctis duobus confluentibus, eneo ; 
elytris violescentibus; abdomine supra æneo, subtus nigro- 
zeneo; antennis zeneo-nigris, nitidis. 
ò Capite thoraceque glaberrimis, zeneo-nitidis ; thorace puncto 
utrinque excavato; elytris vneo-nigris; abdomine supra 
nigro, subtus eeneo-violescente; pedibus nigris, obscure 
violescentibus. ! 
Long. Corp. 63 lin. Mus. nostr. 
~The Rev. William Kirby first found this insect in England 
about the latter end of September, and from his museum Mr. 
Marsham described it under the name of M. punctatus ; but that 
name (though very appropriate) having been given by Fabricius 
to a very different species*, prior to the publication of Entomo- 
logia Britannica, | have named it M. glabratus, The smallest 
fa is drawn from the identical specimen from which Mr. 
Marsham drew. his description, the other from var. 8. I have 
Ls 
* MELGE PUNCTATUS. 
M. punctata, atra, Posi elytrisque varioloso punetatis. Fabr. Ent. Syst. 2. 518. 4. 
Syst, Eleut. 9. 588. 6. 
M. punctata, ser opaca, thorace plano quadrato, elytris punctis plurimis impressis. 
: | Panz. Faun. Germ. Init. 10, tab. 16. 
Long. Corp. 1 unc. 
Habitat in Germania, Lusitania. Communicayit amicus Sieber. 
Mus. Britannico; Dom. Leach, MacLeay, Milne. 
Fabricius described this insect from a specimen in the British Museum ; and in his de- 
scription observes, “ Habitat in Anglia." This however being extremely doubtful, I have 
not ventured to insert it as such without further proof; it is therefore introduced, to exhibit 
in what respects it differs from the foregoing species. Panzer has given a tolerable figure 
of it, and observes, *€ alia est et omnimodo distincta species a Melóe punetata Fabricii." 
This however is incorrect, as his figure and description agree very well with the identical 
specimen still preserved-in the British Museum, from which Fabricius deseribed it. 
seen 
