1872.] 153 



I have received a single specimen of tliis very interesting insect 

 from Mr. E. Lawsou, of Scarborougli ; his brother captured it in the 

 Beighboiirhood of Auckland, New Zealand. 



Some two or three years ago, at a time when I was studying my 

 British Phillujdrida, I separated my specimens of PJiilJ/i/dms mnrgi- 

 nellus into two apparently distinct species (besides P. ovalis, Th.). 

 I did not, however, venture to call attention to this at the time, the 

 material in my possession not being sufficient to justify me in coming 

 to any positive conclusion. I have since, however, paid attention to 

 the point, and hope I am right in announcing that the common 

 Pliilltydnis viargineUus of our collections must be considered as an 

 undescribed species. I give below a description of it. I shall not 

 here attempt to enter into the synonymy of P. marginellus and its 

 allies, for it is of the most complicated and difficult character, and it 

 must be left to a monograjiher of the genus to deal with it in a 

 complete and satisfactory manner. I may, nevertheless, state that I 

 think it will probably be found, that P. ovalis, Th., must bear the name 

 of mnrginellus ; and that onarginellios, Th., is pretty certainly the 

 H. affinis of Gyllenhal, and probably of Paykull, and will have to 

 bear that name. I have also a fourth closely allied species, which I 

 captured in abundance in the Asturias, and which I propose to describe 

 under the name of P. nigritus. 



Philhtdetjs sutuealis, sp. n: 



Ohlonqo-ovalis, crehre punctatas, niger, protliorace elyf risque Jvvide 



testaceis, iUo disco infuscato, Ids suturd nigra ; clypeo tifrinque macula 



laterali, palpis, antennarmnhasi tarsisque testaceis ; tihiis piceis. 



Long. If lin. 



Yar. palpis maxillarihus articulo secundo (interdumque quarto 



medio), levifer infuscato. 



Palpi yellow (occasionally with the second joint and the middle of the last one 

 a little clouded)'. Head black, with a distinct yellow spot on each side of the clypcus 

 in front of the eye. Thorax yellowish, with the central part always much infuscate. 

 Elytra yellowish, with the suture distinctly black. Tibiae pitchy, tarsi yellowish. 



Closely allied to P. marginellus, Th., but larger, the palpi yellow, the clypeus 

 spotted and the piuictuation of the upper surface slightly less marked. 



Common both in England and Scotland. 



Obs. In P. marginellus, Th., the elytra are of a browner colour, 

 the thorax is darker, the head black and unspotted, and the last joint 

 of the palpi black. P. ovalis, Th., is black, with the sides of the thorax 

 and elytra yellowish, the palpi yellow, and the head unspotted. 



Thornhill, Dumfries : October, 1872. 



