1879.J 159 



ther in length, but in this insect they gradually increase in length to 

 the penultimate, which is the longest of all ; the apical segment of the 

 female is produced at its extremity into a long spine, while in the 

 same sex in E. amhiguus this segment merely terminates in an acute 

 angle (y. fig.)- 



I now give a description of the principal characters of this Trent 

 species, as that given by Aube for his minutissimus is irrecognisable : 



L. c. I lin. = 1.25 mm. Linear, elongate, much depressed, castaneous, shining, 

 sparingly clothed with short hairs. Head rather large, triangular, obtuse in front 

 moderately punctured, with two deep fovese between the eyes, joined by a longitu- 

 dinal furrow to two smaller foveas situated above the epistoma : eyes moderate, 

 rather prominent ; antennsB moderate, robust. Thorax small, rounded at base, nar- 

 I'ower than the head, with the sides oval, with three very deep equidistant fovese 

 near the base, connected with each other by a straight line ; from the exterior fovea 

 on each side proceeds a longitudinal depression, not extending to anterior margin of 

 thorax, and from the middle fovea may be traced an indistinct central channel. 

 Elytra rather long, moderately punctured, much depressed, with the sides nearly 

 straight, with two circular foveee on each side near the scutellum, a very deeply 

 impressed stria on each side of the suture, and two long indistinct divergent im- 

 pressions on each elytron behind the middle. Abdomen long, widely and very deeply 

 margined, with the segments increasing in length to the penultimate, which is longest, 

 and the apical segment in the $ produced into a long aculeiform point ; the apical 

 ventral segment in the $ is marked throughout its length with three lines, of which 

 the medial is the deepest, and is deeply grooved on each side for the greater part of 

 its length, while the lateral ones are incurved towards the apex ; the space enclosed 

 by these lines is much flattened ; the penultimate segment also exhibits at its an- 

 terior margin a deep quadrate impression, corresponding with the depressed portion 

 of the apical segment ; the ultimate ventral segment in both sexes is of conspicu- 

 ously lighter colour than the rest of the abdomen. Legs yellow, long and slender, 

 with the tibiae, especially the intermediate pair, somewhat abruptly dilated near the 

 middle. In the $ the inner side of the intermediate tibite is prolonged beyond the 

 articulation of the tarsus, and curved inwardly in the shape of a hook. 



This species may easily be recognised by its minute size, depressed 

 linear form, and the remarkable aculeiform process on the apical seg- 

 ment of the $ . Fairmaire assigns this "spine" to the ^J , but both 

 Mr. Matthews and M. Ch. Brisout de Barneville (and I believe also 

 M. de Saulcy), have recognised independently that it belongs to the 

 $ , and that the ^ does not possess it. 



The dissections, the figures given above, and the main part, in 

 fact, of the description are due to the Rev. A Matthews, to whom, as 

 well as to M. Brisout de Barneville, I am exceedingly obliged for their 

 help towards the elucidation of the problem. 



Burton-on-Trent : 



November Uth, 1879. • 



