1917.] 



271 



are testaceous, excepted), anterior and intermediate tibiae, the posterior til)i(il 

 carina, and the tarsi (except at the tip), infuscate or hhvck ; thickly clotiied 

 ■with fulvous pubescence; the head, prothorax, and scutelliim closely, 

 minutely, the elytra a little more diffusedly and distinctly, punctate, the 

 under surface and legs densely, minutely punctate. Anteimae moderately 

 long, slender, joint 3 short, barely one-half the length of 4, 4-11 very 

 gradiuilly decreasing in length. Prothorax short, sharply margined, rapidly 

 narrowing from the base forward, the sides forming a continuous outline with 

 those of the elytra, the margins of the latter moderately explanate. Posterior 

 coxal plates small, contiguous along the median line, transverse, sharply 

 angulate at the lower outer angle. Posterior femora enormously developed. 

 Posterior tibiae with the upper spur about as long as the first tarsal joint, and 

 twice the length of the curved lower one. 



Length Tj, breadth 6 mm. 



Hob. : Nyasaland, Mlanje {S. A. Neave : 13-15, ii. 1912). 



One specimen, sex not ascertained. The general coloration and 

 vestiture are common to many of the smaller members of tlie genus. 

 Tlie species described by Guerin from Senegal must be very different 

 from the present insect. 



Nov. 1917. 



NOTES ON CEETAIN BRITISH (OE EECOEDED AS BEITISH) SPECIES 

 OP OXYBELUS Late. 



BY THE RET. P. D. MOMCE, M.A., E.E.S. 



(Concluded.) 



4. — Oxyhelus spp. formerly, but no longer, included in tlie British List. 



In Sbuckard's celebrated "Essay" (1837) no fewer than six forms 

 of Oxyhelus were introduced as additions to the British List. Three 

 of these, namely, hellicosus, nigripes, and " 14<-(/utfafus " (sic, a slip 

 for 14-notafusl), were identified with Continental forms diagnosed in 

 1811 by Olivier, while the other three — -ferox, nigricornis, and nigro- 

 aeneus — were described as ncAv to science. 



O. nigripes has been discussed above, but it may be worth while to 

 explain whj'' the other names are no longer retained in our List, and 

 are not mentioned at all (except ferox as a synonj'm) in Saunder's 

 " Hjanenoptera Aculeata," etc. 



O. ferox was described from a single specimen in Shuekard's own 

 collection, stated by him to have been a male., and to have been taken 

 " somewhere near London." Practically all authorities are agreed that 

 it is the 6 of argentatus Curtis, of which species Shuckard says that he 

 only knew the $ . I do not know what has become of the type, but 



