58 [March, 



Paykull's collection. Paykull cites Gylleulial as the captor of liis 

 species, and Ericlison appears to have receive many specimens from 

 him. The probability therefore is that as no other Bledii were de- 

 scribed by Paykull,* though he wrote a Monograph of the Swedish 

 Stwpliijlinidse, that he mixed more than one species under the name of 

 fracticornis, and that Gryllenhal subsequently sent an exponent of our 

 fracticornis to Erichson as an example of Paykull's species. However 

 that may be, I think we ought to accept Erichson's decision. 



B. fracticornis appears to be far from abundant in this country. 

 I have myself found only one specimen at Hammersmith Marshes, 

 April 16th, 1863 ; but Mr. de la Garde finds it at Braunton, and Mr. 

 Cliampion at Woking. Large examples of B. femoralis are apt to be 

 confounded with it, hut fraefieornls is rather larger and broader, has 

 clear yellow legs and antennse, and the sexual characters of the two 

 are diiferent. In fracticornis the hind margin of the fifth ventral 

 plate terminates in the middle as a delicate white transparent mem- 

 brane ; in front this membrane joins the body of the plate in a very 

 evident curvilinear manner, and at the point of junction on the hind 

 margin of the two tissues there is thus formed a very obtuse, but 

 distinct, angle, which does not project as a tooth. 



(2) — Bledius LiETiOR, Muls. & Key. 



We have in England a Bledius considered to be a variety of frac- 

 ticornis with red elytra. Though it appears to be very rare, 1 have no 

 doubt that it is a distinct species, and I believe that it will prove to be 

 the B. Ixtior of Mulsant & Rey. All that is known about the species 

 is a remark made by the French authors at the end of their description 

 of B. fracticornis (Col. Fr., Oxyteliens, p. 151), " La couleur des 

 elyti-es passe du noir au roux de poix et meme au roux vif a region 

 scutellaire a peine rembrunie. Dans cette derniere variete, on trouve 

 une forme un peu moindre, a angles posterieurs du prothorax un peu 

 moins arrondis, et qui a tout Fair d'une espece particuliere {Bledius 

 Isetior, nobis)." 



This applies perfectly to the insect under consideration, except as 

 to size. The British insect is almost the same length as B. fracticornis, 

 but is slightly broader ; it has thicker legs, the elytra are bright red, 

 more or less blackish about the base and suture, the thorax is broader, 

 so as to be distinctly transverse, and the hind angles have not so com- 

 pletely disappeared. In the male the membrane on the margin of the 

 fifth ventral segment is less extensive, aiid there is no angle formed on 

 the hind margin at its junction with the harder tissue. 



In the European Catalogue B. Jxtior is placed as a synonym of 

 B. fracticornis var. elongafus, Mannh. This, however, is certainly 



* Paykull described, it is true, Staphi/linus tricornis, but he say.s it was found in dung, and 

 he say.s nothing about its geniculate anteun.'B, though he considered that feature the important 

 diagnostic of his ^'. fracticornis. 



