102 [May, 



EXALEOCHARA: A GENUS OF COLEOPTERA NEW TO SCIENCE. 

 BY JAMES H. KEYS, F.E.S. 



While recently examining some examples of the small Staphylinid, 

 Aleochara morion^ Grav. {Baryodma morion, Muls. et Rey), I was 

 much surprised to find that their anterior tarsi were four-jointed only. 

 To make sure on all points 1 forwarded a specimen to Mens, A. Fauvel, 

 and asked his opinion on the matter. He has been good enough to 

 reply to me as follows :— " Je suis de votre avis. Cet insecte n'a que 

 4 articles aux tarses anterieurs et ne pent rester dans le genre Aleo- 

 chara. II faudra sans doute en faire le type d'un nouveau genre." 



From its tarsal formula (4-5-5) it is evident that the insect 

 should not be classed with the Aleocharina, which are 5-jointed in all 

 tarsi, whilst the minute accessory joint of the palpi renders its re- 

 moval to the Myrmedoniina equally undesirable. It is apparently an 

 intermediate form connecting the two tribes, and is therefore on that 

 account extremely interesting. It would perhaps be better to allow 

 the insect to rest for the time in its present position iu our list, but 

 to provide it with a new generic name. I propose Exaleochara as an 

 appropriate word for that purpose, as it would be suggestive of the 

 location of the insect; and, if the synoptical table including the 

 genus be provided with au explanatory note, there should be no great 

 difficulty to a student in working out the species. 



" MorwcU," Lipson Road, Plymouth : 

 April I5a, 1907. 



ALEOCHARA IJISCIPENNIS, Muls. and Rey : A BRITISH INSECT. 

 BY G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. 



8ome two years ago, at Mr. E. Saunders's request, I examined 

 the Sfaphylinid(B in Dr. Capron's collection, and amongst other in- 

 teresting species (^Aleochara maculata* , Homalota I'ufotestaeea, Quedius 

 longicornis, &c.) noted two specimens of an Aleochara strange to me 

 as British. One of these was subsequently submitted to M. Fauvel, 

 who pronounced it to be a small example of A. discipennis, Muls. and 

 Eey. Dr. Capron's insects were mostly captured in the neighbourhood 

 of Shiere, Surrey, but as no locality was attached to his specimens, it 

 seemed inadvisable to record this particular species till further evidence 



* A specimen of this species was captured on the wing at Guildfoid })y my son on March 

 27th, whence 1 have previously recorded it. 



