91 



Falkirk, Northumb., Cumb., Durh., Weston, Preston, Eepton, and 

 Loudon district. Exceedingly abundant on the Thames Bank near 

 Hammersmith. 



GONTMELAS, (Kirhi/) Stephens. 

 subaeneus, Erichson. 



2 lin. Black, with a slight brassy tinge, shining. Antennae 

 pitchy testaceous, with the two basal joints black, and the club pitchy. 

 Palpi with the apical joint pitchy, the second pitchy-testaceous, and the 

 basal joint testaceous. Legs rufo-testaceous, considerably suffused 

 with pitchy at the knees. Head wide, with a broad middle elevation, 

 smooth on the disc. Thorax closely, irregularly, and rather coarsely 

 punctured, with an ill-defined smooth dorsal channel, and two slight 

 depressions behind the middle. Elytra a third longer than the thorax, 

 rather flat, with a few obsolete irregular depressions, and the punctu- 

 ation rather coarser than in the thorax, but not quite so close ; the 

 interstices nearly rugulose. Abdomen narrow, especially in the male, 

 and attenuate towards the apex ; the punctuation (as usual) getting 

 finer towards the extremity. 



Falkirk, Northumberland, Weston, Preston, and London district. 

 Not common. 



ossitJM, {Kirhy) Stephens. Very like the preceding, but duller, 

 and generally a little (sometimes considerably) smaller ; with the basal 

 joint of the antennae and two apical joints of the palpi pitchy, the 

 elytra shorter, and the punctuation altogether considerably finer, especi- 

 ally on the abdomen, where it is also closer. 



Common. Northumb., Cumb., Durham, Weston, Fen district, 

 Bungay, Eepton, and Loudon district. 



iMPEESSUS, Germar, Erichson. About the size of ossium, bronze- 

 black, shining. Legs and palpi clear testaceous yellow. Antennae 

 testaceous (including the basal joint), with the apex slightly pitchy. 

 Head with a wide, smooth, middle elevation. Thorax but little longer 

 than its extreme breadth, rather strongly and closely punctured, 

 the interstices irregular, with an obsolete smooth shallow dorsal 

 channel, and tAvo irregular depressions on each side of the middle. 

 Elytra scarcely (if at all) longer than the thorax, not quite so closely 

 punctured, and rather uneven. Abdomen shining, attenuated, and 

 more delicately punctured towards the apex. 



Exceedingly common all over the kingdom ; in moss, leaves, &c. 



There is an insect closely allied to this species, not uncommon in 

 lae London district, Avhich I am unable to determine satisfactorily, and 



