270 ' (September, 



STUDIES IN HELOPHORINI. 



BY D. SHARP, M.A., F.R.S. 



8.—HEL0PH0RUS {continued}. 



4. — H. pumilio Ericlison. 



The specimens purporting to be this species that I have seen in 

 collections are all wrongly deterniined, so that H. pumilio is unknown 

 to me. It is placed by both Kuwert and Ganglbauer next H. nanus, 

 so that its position is probably hei-e, though, as nothing is known as to 

 the structure of the elytra, this is somewhat uncertain. I give below 

 a translation of Granglbauer's description, merely adding that the 

 species probably exists in Britain. 



" Like small granulans, differing by the ctirve of the thorax being simple 

 as far as the very slightly projecting lateral margin, and by the close and 

 strong granulation of all the dorsal intervals, the narrow and sharply defined 

 dorsal grooves of this part, by the very large punctured striae and the narrow 

 interstices of the elytra, these interstices being usually alternately different in 

 elevation. Head and thorax dark bronze or dark metallic green ; the elytra 

 brown or yellow-brown, sometimes with a common dark mark behind the 

 middle on the suture, or also with a blackish longitudinal mark on each side of 

 it ; the antennae, palpi, and legs brown-red, the tips of the claw-joints and 

 maxillary palps blackish. Head closely granular ; on the vertex with a narrow 

 channel not, or scarcely, wider in front, often on each side near the eye with a 

 shallow triangular impression. Thorax gently rounded at the sides, equally 

 narrowed in front and behind, only moderately convex, but in a single curve to 

 the side-margin, with slender, sharply-impressed dorsal grooves, and broad, 

 flat dorsal intervals, on all the dorsal intervals evenly and closely granular. 

 The inner dorsal grooves in or behind the middle only slightly bent outwards, 

 the outer grooves in front much more widely separated from the inner than 

 from the lateral margin, with which they are parallel. Elytra moderately 

 narrow, very broadly and closely punctate-striate, between the striae with 

 slender, convex interstices, of which the alternate are generally more elevated. 

 Var. redtenbacheri Kuw., is founded on a more slender form. Long. 2.4 — 2.8 mm. 

 Northern and Central Europe. Rare." 



Kuwert gives 2 mm. as the length. 



5. — Helophorus nmius Sturm. 



This is the best known of this group. It is very variable, but 

 may be identified by the shining surface, the thorax attaining a high 

 polish and being often nearly destitute of sculpture. There is fre- 

 quently a short impressed line on the vertex between the eye and the 

 median channel, but this is a vai'iable character. The size varies 



