August, 18'..1. I 205 



as the elytra, sometimes slightly broader, and not gradually narrowod 

 to the front as in the female ; at the same time it must be remembered 

 that it is easy to regard the male as a separate species, an error which 

 can only be avoided by capturing the species in their burrows, two, 

 a male and a female, usually occupying one burrow. The species, as 

 is well known, live in these burrows or galleries, which they excavate 

 in soft mud near pools or small lakes, or on the margins of muddy 

 streams ; they are very conspicuous, and the presence of the beetles 

 may easily be detected by their means ; when disturbed they run from 

 their galleries and quickly take to flight, especially in hot weather. 



Our British species have usually been considered to be eight in 

 number: of these H. fossor, Kies. (rec^^^s, Wat.), and H. arenarius, 

 Kies., have been regarded as doubtful, and the generally recognised 

 species, six in number, are H.femoralis, Kies., H. ohsoJetus, Curt., II. 

 marginatus, F., H. Icevigatus, Panz., Il.fuscuJus, Kies., and H. sericans, 

 Panz. As far as I have been able to make out, H. rectus, AVat., is an 

 intermediate variety or species between S. salinus and Il.fossor. 

 H. arenarius must still be regarded as very doubtful. H. femoralis 

 and U.Jlexuosus, which have usually been regarded as synonymous, 

 must now be considered as distinct. A new species, S. pulcJ/ellus, 

 Kies., must be added doubtfully before H. fusculus ; and for H. 

 sericans, a newly described species, II. hritannicus, Kuw., must be 

 substituted. Apparently we do not possess the true H. sericans, but 

 the specimens which have been named for me by Herr Kuwert as H. 

 hritaniiicus appear to differ considerably, and I was at first inclined 

 to think that part of them should be referred to an allied species, if 

 not to II. sericans, which may perhaps be found in our collections. 



The following, then, will be the list of our species as at present 

 known : — 



Subgenus IIETEROCERUS, i. sp. 



flexuosus, Sfceph. (femoralis, Kios., pars.), 

 salintt.t, Kies., var. rectus, Wat. 

 {arenarius, Kies., ? ?). 

 femoral is, Kies. 



Subgenus T^NHETEROCERUS, Kuwevt. 

 marffinatus, F. 



(sericans, Kies , ? ?) ) 



.... T' I s- S. L/Knrimiis, Dos Cfozis. 



britannicus, Kuw. ) ° 



oh.ioletus, Curt. 



pulchellus, Kios. ?. 



ftiscnlus, Kios. 



lcEvi(/alt(s, Panz. 



