162 ^-^"^y' 



HOMALOTA EEPERTA, Sp. n. 



Nigra, ehjtris hrunneis, antetinarum hasi palpisque sonlide testaceis, i)edib%is 

 flavis. Long. 4 mm. 



Mas., abdomine segmento 7° dorsali truncate, margine iiicrassato, obsolete 

 crenulato, utrinque denticulo perparum x>rominulo. 



Fern., abdomine segmento V dorsali subtruncato, medio vix perspicue emar- 

 ginato, angulis externis nullis ; segmento ventrali medio sat profunde emarginato. 



Closely allied to H. fungicola in general form and punctuation, 

 slightly larger and rather more darkly coloured. The female is dis- 

 tinguished by the emarginate last ventral segment ; and the male by 

 some slight but unmistakable differences in the aedeagus, the median 

 orifice being less exposed, while immediately above are two small, 

 pointed, very hard processes slightly turned upwards, these acumina 

 being very diiferent in H. funglc'iJa. I found a fine series of this species 

 near Brockenhurst on May 22nd, in a hollow beech in which there had 

 been a large crop of agarics, and I have since then met with it in 

 another tree. It varies but little. 



HoMATiOTA INOPTATA, Sp. n. 

 Nigra, elytris hrunneis vel fusco-hrunneis, antennarum basi patpisque nigro- 

 testaceis, pedibus testaceis. Long. 4 mm. 



Mas., abdomine segmento 7° dorsali truncato, margine incrassato. crenulato, 

 utrinque denticulo perparum, prominulo. 



Fern., abdomine segmento 1^ dorsali truncato, angulis externis discretis ; seg- 

 mento ventrali rotundato. 



This species is extremely similar to H. reperta, but in the great 

 majority of cases the two are readily distinguished by the darker 

 palpi and base of the antennae of H. inoptata. As there is some 

 variation in this slight character, it is necessary in such specimens to 

 examine the sexual characters. The females are very easy to distinguish 

 by the shape of the seventh segment. In the male of H. inoptata the 

 aedeagus is larger, with longer lateral lobes, and the orifice of the 

 median lobe is larger so that it is easily detected ; while the two small 

 acumina above are indistinct and usually fall within the orifice, and 

 then they may be supposed to be absent. The aedeagus is nearer to 

 that of H. fungicola, but with good distinctions, and the two may be 

 easily distinguished by the darker antennae and palpi and the larger 

 size of H. inoptata. 



I procured a very fine series of this species, together with H. re- 

 perta ; but no if. fungicola were present. I have satisfied myself by 

 numerous dissections that H. reperta and H. inoptata are truly distinct 

 in spite of their great general resemblance and intimate associat 



