39 



a thoracic channel, the less thickly punctured thorax and elytra (the 

 former also narrower), and the concave forehead, also separate it from 

 canaliculatus. The last mentioned character, indeed, is enough to remove 

 it from all its allies. 



Two specimens have been taken by Mr. E. "W". Janson, on different 

 occasions, in a watercourse near Highgate, both of which have been 

 submitted by that gentleman to Dr. Kraatz, who returned them as 

 S. morio without any qualification. 



Ateattjlus, Erichson. \\ — 1^ lin. Somewhat resembling the two 

 preceding species, but smaller, comparatively stouter, and more coarsely 

 punctured. Black, rather shining. Antenna? short and black. Ac- 

 cording to Erichson, the palpi should be black, with basal joint testaceous, 

 and Mr. Bold's specimens exhibit this appearance, whilst those taken 

 by me near London have the basal joint rufo-piceous, though in all 

 other respects identical. Head not hollowed, with two shallow grooves, 

 the interstice convex and shining on the vertex. Thorax as broad as 

 its length, rounded in front and more decidedly narrow behind, strongly 

 and closely punctured, with an obsolete dorsal channel. Elytra wider 

 and considerably longer than the thorax, strongly and closely punctured, 

 the interstices rather flat, and with a slight elevation at the base between 

 the suture and shoulders, which latter are also somewhat elevated. The 

 abdomen, which is thick in the female, is strongly and rather coarsely 

 punctured, with the four little keels in the transverse basal grooves of 

 the first four segments very conspicuous. The male is smaller, with a 

 more attenuate abdomen. 



This species bears a considerable superficial resemblance to small 

 examples of S. nigritulus, from which its margined abdomen at once 

 distinguishes it. In recent examples the silvery pubescence is very 

 distinct. 



Taken by Mr. T. J. Bold rarely, in Northumberland on the coast ; 

 also by Mr. Crotch very rarely at Wicken Een, Cambridge, and by 

 myself in Battersea Park, sparingly. 



Melanaeius, (Kirly, M.S.S.) Stephens' Illust. Brit. Ent.,Mand. 1832, 

 vol. V. 299, 54; Waterhouse and Janson, Trans, Eut. Soc. 

 Lond. vol. iii. (N.S.), Pt. v. 1855. 

 cinerascena, Erichson. 



As this species is the first in the genus wherein priority is given 

 to a Kirbyan or Stephensian name, I append my reasons for so doing. 

 It is intelligibly described by Stephens (loc. cit.), the description being 

 from Kirby's M.S.S., p. 271, vol. iii. (now in the Zool. Dep., Brit. 



