43 



In the male the femora are slightly thickened, imd the sixth seg- 

 ment beneath is rather strongly notched, the fifth being depressed in 

 the middle and sinuate at the hinder margin. The abdomen beneath is 

 clothed with yellowish grey hairs. 



The above description (which certainly accords very closely with 

 Erichson's opacus) is from specimens taken at Horning Fen, Norfolk, 

 where this insect has been found by Messrs. Crotch, Matthews, Brewer, 

 and Sharp. It has also been taken at Wicken Fen, Cambridge by 

 Mr. Crotch, and near Burton-on-Trent by Dr. Hewgill. The two 

 specimens in Mr. Waterhouse's cabinet, supposed to come from 

 Northumberland, on which the species opacus was introduced as British, 

 only differ from the fen examples in having the legs and antennae 

 inclined to pitchy-brown, and the elytra a trifle more contracted at the 

 shoulders. 



The position of the present species in the genus is certainly difficult 

 to define ; the almost bi-lobed tarsi and tendency to pitchiness in the 

 limbs not agreeing with the others in which the abdomen is margined. 



PusiLLUS, {Kirhy) Stephens (1SS2) ; Erichson. 1 — 1^ lin. Black, 

 rather glossy, and somewhat flattened. Antennae short and stout ; palpi 

 black, with basal joint testaceous. Head with two grooves meeting in 

 a point in front, the interstice elevated and rather shining. Thorax 

 rather wider than long, the sides strongly rounded and contracted at the 

 base ; rather strongly punctured, with two lateral depressions behind 

 the middle, united by an obsolete transverse depression near the base. 

 Elytra decidedly longer than the thorax, rather flat, strongly punctured, 

 the interstices shining and nearly rugulose ; slightly depressed in the 

 scutellar region. Abdomen short, rather suddenly attenuate at the 

 apex ; shining, finely punctured, with the rudiments of keels in the 

 basal grooves of segments. Tarsi short. 



Northumberland, Durham, and Cumberland ; Boston, Falkirk, 

 Bungay, Repton, Preston, Fen district, and near London. Common. 



'EtXiOiVVS,, Erichson. 1 — l:flin. Very like j?Ms?7Zzf*, but the thorax 

 not so flat, rather more glossy and less closely punctured, and not exhi- 

 biting the depressions behind so strongly. The elytra shorter (scarcely 

 longer than the thorax), not quite so flat, a little more strongly and not 

 quite so closely punctured, and more contracted at the sboulders. 

 Holme Bush, near Brighton ; Lincolnshire and Cork. 



(To he continued.) 



