230 [October, 



close aucl moderately fiue, aud the serial, or accessory, punctures on 

 the 3rd and 5th interstices are usually conspicuous and numerous. The 

 length varies between 7 and 9 mm. The ajdeagus is remarkable by 

 the slenderness of its apical portion, which ends as a very definite 

 raised ridge. 



The colour varies from piceous-black to a dark rusty-brown, but 

 there is never the strong contrast, seen in some other species, of bright 

 red head and thorax and black elytra. The thorax varies a good deal 

 in length, in the sin nation of the sides and the definiteuess of the hind 

 angles, and still more in the margination of the base ; sometimes 

 there is a distinct fine margin along all the base, and sometimes a 

 margin can be detected only near the hind angles. 



This insect seems to be widely distributed in the southern half of 

 England ; I have seen it from many localities, from the Isle of Wight 

 to Mildenhall. 



The species is not usually recognised in books and catalogues, 

 and it must be admitted that Thomson was a little uncertain, even 

 contradictory, in his statements, but I think there can be little doubt 

 that I am rightly interpreting him. He calls the species " rectanrjidus,'' 

 but he says in his description " angulis posticis fere obtusis." 



8. — 0. p%7icticollis, Payk. This appears to be a very rare species, 

 as nearly all the specimens named i)uncticollis in our collections are 

 really rectangulus, Th. 



0. puncticoUis is undoubtedly very similar to rectangtilus, but it 

 is easy to recognise by the prothorax, which is broader iu front so 

 that it is very nearly as broad as the elytra, strongly sinuated at the 

 sides, and with the definite hind angles almost absolutely rectangular ; 

 the punctures on it are coarser and less numerous, and the surface is 

 more highly polished, so that Thomson's expression " disco fere 

 subcyaneo-micante " is really apposite. The sedeagus is very like that 

 of 0. rectangulus but it is a little thicker, the apical portion being 

 definitely less slender ; I attach some importance to this slight differ- 

 ence as I have examined this organ in several of the variations of 

 0. rectangulus. 



Altogether I have seen less than a dozen specimens of 0. puncti- 

 collis, so that I can say but little as to its variation; but the basal 

 margin of the thorax is sometimes very definite, and in other cases is 

 more indistinct. 



The localities are Caterham, Guildford, Down (no doubt the 

 Kentish Down), and Cholsey, Berks (Commander Walker). There 



