Kg [March, 



Not commoii in the south of Enp^laud, but very comraou in 



Scotland. This species may be recognised from its allies by its smaller 



head and darker legs. 



A. TOMLINI, sp. jiov. 



Smaller ami lig-htei" in colour than A. mela)iocera, first joint of antenna> and 

 legs light yellow ; head larger than in melaiiocera ; thorax rather strongly 

 transverse, slightly narrower than elytra, and slightly contracted behind ; 

 median lobe of ffideagns with a single bend, the tei-minal jjortion long and not 

 thickened towards apex (Fig. 2). Length 2.4 — 2.8 mm. 



Common in the south of England. 



A. MALLEUS, sp. nOV. 



Very like A. tomlini, but on the average larger; thorax slightly narrower 



in proportion to elytra, and slightly less contracted behind than in ,4. tomlini 



and A. mclanocera ; median lobe of ajdcagus with a single bend, the terminal 



portion short and distinctly dilated at the apex (Fig. 3). Lengtli 2.6 — 3.2 mm. 



England and Ireland, probalily common. In fresh specimens the 

 legs appear to be of not quite such a light yellow as in A. tomlini. 



A. OBTUSANGULA, Sp. UOV. 



As a rule rather lighter than A. melanocera; head larger; thorax only 

 slightly transverse and more contracted behind ; legs clear yellow ; median lobe 

 of aedeagvis only slightly bent and larger and broader than in any of its allies 

 (Fig. 4). Length 3 — 3.5 mm. 



This species is extremely like A. clongatxda. Apart from the characters of 

 the sixth free segment of the hind body it may be distinguished from the latter 

 by its slightly narrower head, and by having the thorax a little more contracted 

 behind. All the four members of this gTOup differ from A. elongatula by having 

 the antennae distinctly less thickened towards the apex and the penultimate 

 joints more contracted towards the base of each, a character given by Fowler 

 (Col. Brit. Islands, Vol. II, p. 78) under A. volans. 



South of England, rare. 



I must thank Messrs. Champion, Donisthorpe and Tomlin for 

 kindly allowing me to dissect many specimens in their collections. 



1. Apical portion of median lobe of a'deagus in Atheta melanocera. 



2. „ „ „ „ „ tomlini. 



3. „ „ „ „ „ malleus. 



4. „ „ „ „ „ obtusangula. 



Bradfield, Berks : 



January, 1913. 



