1972.] > 155 



but I am now conrincccl that this also is only a variety of that species. Small 

 specimens of varialiUs ajiproach exti'emely closely to large padi, but I believe, 

 nevertheless, the latter is really a distinct species. 



6. C. PALLiDTTLUS, Boli. This insect comes so close to certain varieties of variabilis, 



that it is sometimes only to be distinguished by an examination of the under- 

 side ; it is then to be remarked, that, whereas variabilis has a very dense and 

 fine punctuation and pubescence on the under-side of the hind-body, these arc 

 so much more scanty in pallidulus as to leave little doubt of its specific distinct- 

 ness. This character to distmguish the two species can scarcely be considered 

 as expressed by Tournier, who says of variabilis, " under-side of the body finely 

 and densely punctured," and of pallidulus, " abdomen densely punctured." 

 I cannot therefore feel certain that Tournier's pallidulus is really distinct from 

 variabilis. In conclusion, I may mention that Mr. Waterhouse has proposed 

 to call this insect C. ochraceus, Steph. Stephens' few words of description 

 under this head contain nothing inapplicable to pallidulus, but he adds, " much 

 less than either of the other species," whereas, the very common C. padi, 

 described by Stephens immediately above ochraceus, is always smaller than 

 paUididiis. It will be well, therefore, to abandon the ochraceus of Stephens, 

 as well as the six other species proposed by him in the genus. 



7. C. PTJNCTIPENNIS, ti. sp. Ovalis, convexus, sat nitidus, parcius brevissimeque 



pubescens ; niger, prothorace, elytris pedibusque rufo-testaceis, antennis basi 

 obscure rufescentibus : elytris basi fortiter minus crebre punctatis, suturd hand 

 infuscatd ; abdomine dense subtilissime punctidato. Long. 1 j lin, 



Var. elytris infuscatis, apice qtcam basin dilutioribus. 



Allied to C variabilis, but shorter, broader, and more convex, and distin- 

 guished from all tlie varieties of that most variable species by its extremely 

 short, fine and scanty pubescence ; its elytra also are more sparingly punctured, 

 with the punctuation at the base coarser than in any C. variabilis. The third 

 joint of the antennce is also rather shorter than is usual in variabilis. The 

 sculpture and pubescence of the elyti-a are so markedly different from what 

 obtains in any other of our species, that if attention be paid to them no mistake 

 will be made in determining this insect. 



This is the species intended to be referred to in my Catalogue by the name 

 nigriceps, Th. ; it appears, however, to be not the nigricep)s either of Kicsen- 

 wetter or Thomson. Tournier (who received types from Kiesenwetter) states 

 that the nigriceps of that author is only variabilis ; and the nigriceps of 

 Thomson is certainly not the species I am now describing, as Thomson says 

 " sutura postice infuscata," this being never the case in punctipennis. 



C. punctipennis is rare, and has, I believe, been found only in Scotland, in 

 two or three localities ; I have taken it at Eannoch, and on the Keir Hills, 

 Thoruhill. It lives in moss in wet places on the moors, and is especially to be 

 found among moss growing thickly with heather, and mixed with reindeer 

 lichen. I have obtained a fine scries by repeated scarchings in the second of the 

 above mentioned localities. — D. Shaep, Thornhill, Dumfries : Oct. 2bth, 1872. 



