1915.] 275 



nate behind the eyes, the grooves rather deep, the interval coarsely 

 granulate and not shining ; the median interval very little broadened 

 ill the middle externally ; the colour variable, usually moderately 

 metallic with the sides yellow, this colour extending inwardly along 

 the front margin. The elytra dull yellow, but faintly marked with 

 black, the only definite dark mark being the one behind the middle of 

 the suture, and about this dark mark some others indefinitely paler 

 than the ground-colour. They are coarsely punctured, the interstices 

 being convex, the alternate obscurely more raised ; there is a very 

 feeble punctuation and setosity on the interstices. The legs are 

 markedly elongate, and the hairs on the hind tarsus copious and long. 

 The palpi are elongate, the mentum shining, with a few distant 

 punctures. Specimens from Brighton, Lymington, and Deal, differ 

 on the whole but little from the Dumfries examples. But individuals 

 from Sheppey and Southsea are of average smaller size, and have the 

 elytra more clouded with black, more shining, the punctures a little 

 larger in proportion to the interstices, and the setosity a little more 

 marked. But these distinctions are variable, and I am satisfied that 

 all are one species. 



The maxillary palpi are usually so much more elongate than the 

 average as to afford valuable aid in recognising this and the allied 

 species, but there occur specimens in which their length is consider- 

 ably reduced. 



The descriptions by Continental authors appear to indicate that 

 usually they had a mixture of species before them. I have always 

 felt much embarrassed as to this species, and at the time that Kuwert 

 wrote his table I sent him specimens of it. one of which he returned to 

 me labelled " var. emaciahis Kuwert." In his paper, emaciatus appears 

 as a variety of dorsalis, and the localities given for it are Corfu, 

 Savoy, Pyrenees ! 



The dorsalis of Marsham has, by many authors, been supposed to 

 be our muhanti, or at any rate something of the sort ; this idea being 

 based on Curtis having transmitted two specimens of some species of 

 Helophorus to Mulsant named dorsalis Marsh. Curtis was not an 

 authoi-ity on Helophorus, and it may be ti-eated as certain that the 

 Hydrophilus dorsalis of Marsham was not imdsanti Rye ; the phrase, 

 " elytra testacea, litura magna communi nigra, in qua maculae duae 

 testaceae apicem versus positae sunt," is practically the whole of 

 Marsham's description, and does not accord with mulsanti. I have 

 seen no specimens of mulsanti from anywhere except Gx'eat Britain, 



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