134 



[April, 



being distinguished from rvgosuti and from all other Helophorini by the 

 shape of the front of the head. In addition to this, and to the fact 

 that the sub-median interval of the pronotum is not completely 

 divided into two parts, there exists also a distinction in the supra- 

 pleural area, which is narrower in M. porcnlvs. 



It appears to be a variable species, and far from abundant in 

 collections. Kviwert distinguishes a variety, " aper " of Pandelle, 

 said to be smaller and with a narrower thorax. I have specimens 

 before me which I received from Pandelle many years ago. They 

 exhilnt the characters mentioned by Kuwert, and I find that in the 

 male the median lobe of the aedeagus projects slightly beyond the 

 lateral lobes, whereas in the other forms the three lobes are of equal 

 length. I am not satisfied that this difference may not be merely 

 that of position due to greater protrusion resulting from lateral com- 

 pression of the lobe, and the body characters are too variable to rely 

 on. If we treat the large broad forms, those which most resemble 

 M. rugosns, as the typical condition, then most of ovir British speci- 

 mens would have to be considered another variety with rather longer 

 and more parallel after-body. Mr. Champion has, however, foimd 

 specimens at Walton-on-Naze that diifer but little from the broad 

 typical form. There is considerable variation in the length of the 

 maxillary palpi, but this does not appear to ])e correlative with the 

 other variations, so that at present I consider all to be one species. 

 M. porculns then extends from the north of Scotland to the 

 Mediterranean (Gribraltar and Malta, Conunander Walker), the var. 

 aper — if it be such — being Pyrenean. Specimens from Volo in 

 Thessaly (Stussiner) scarcely differ from those found in Scotland. 



Beadempleurus gen. n. 



Labial palpi bare ; abdomen with minute pubescence on the basal segment 

 and on the apical segment, the hind margin of the basal segment is, however, 

 bare in the middle. Costae of elytra very strong. Wings atrophied. 



The Helophorut^ schmidti Villa, constitutes this genus. It is 

 usually considered to come very near to E. nubilus, but this is quite 

 erroneous, and those objecting to numerous genera must associate this 

 wivth Meqempleunis, not with Empleurim. In the costation of the 

 elytiva it is the most remarkable of the Helophorini. The abortion of 

 the wi'-ugs is a very rare phenomenon in the subfamily and the shape 

 of these organs is very peculiar ; they being as broad as they are long 

 and with a truncate extremity. 



