7t [September, 



This species appears to be common and widely distributed over a 

 considerable part of Europe ; it occurs under bark of pines, elms, 

 oaks, and many otlier trees ; it has also been taken in nests of Formica 

 riifn ; the shape of the thorax is variable and this has given rise to 

 much confusion : it is by far the commonest of the British species. 



V. caucasicum, Reitter. — Tliis varipty (considered a separate species in the 

 ctitalogue of Heyden, Koitter, and Wcise) differs from the type in bf^ing ferruginous 

 ill colour, and in liaving the sides of tlie thorax iiearly parallel in tlie male, and more 

 distinctly contracted in front in the female than in the corresponding sex of C. 

 hixteroides proper. 



Found in the Caucasus region. 



V. lonfiicoUe, Reitter. — This is a form of tlie preceding variety, and appears 

 to be chiefly distinguished by its longer thorax. 



Euboea, &c. In Dr. Sharp's collection there is a specimen answer- 

 ing to my specimen from Herr Reitter, which is labelled as bought 

 from Turner ; whether it is Scotch or English I do not know. I also 

 possess a small ferruginous-red variety from Silesia, which closely 

 resembles C. ferrugineum. 



C. FAGT, Bris. {forticorne, Muls.). 



A very distinct species, broader and more convex tlian C. histeroides, and with 

 the elytra more dilated in front ; the antennae are shorter and stouter, ferruginous, 

 with the first and last joints lighter, and the thorax is evidently more strongly and 

 much more sparingly punctured, especially on disc, and at the base is furnished with 

 larger impressions, which are oblong, and more distinct than in the preceding species : 

 the thorax, moreover, is almost parallel-sided in the male, and evidently narrowed 

 in front in the female : the strire of tlie elytra are rather finely punctured, and the 

 interstices, as a rule, are almost smooth ; the colour of the upper surface is as in C. 

 histeroides. Long., 2-2J mm. 



Under beech-bark ; Hungary, Transylvanian Alps, France, &c. ; 

 England, rare, Sevenoaks, Cobham Park, Kent, Twickenham, St. Mary 

 Cray, Dean Forest ; Mr. W. G. Blatch possesses one specimen from 

 the latter locality which is remarkable for its very short rounded elytra. 



V. excavatum. — Through the kindness of Mr. E. Saunders (who considered it 

 probably a new species), I received some time ago from Mr. W. J. Saunders a remark- 

 able variety of this species, in which the basal impressions are continued nearly to 

 the anterior margin, leaving a large broad raised longitudinal space in middle. I 

 have seen no others like them, and propose for the variety the name of excavatum ; 

 the specimens were taken at Warlingham, Surrey ; it is possible that they may be 

 identical with C.foveolatiim, Baudi, but I have never seen a specimen of this species 

 or the description ; it is, moreover, omitted in the last European catalogue, and Reitter 

 {I. c, page 389, foot note,) states that it is unknown to him. 



