I( 



TAA^ [November, 1884. 



rentli, and it has been taken at Sheerness, Gravesend, Chatham, Esher, 

 &c. ; Stephens describes it as rather abundant, and gives the following 

 localities : Norfolk, Suffolk, Devonshire, Netley, Grlanvilles Wotton, 

 and Swansea, so that it appears to be generally distributed ; with the 

 exception, however, of Dr. Power, no collector seems to have taken it 

 in any numbers for a long time past. 



There seems no good reason why the preference should be given 

 to Fabricius' name for this species, as is now generally the case, as 

 the insects in the Linnean collection standing under Silx)^a rujipes 

 are our Nitidula ruJipes ; it is, however, true that the description 

 given by Linnaeus does not accord with them {vide Ent. Ann., 1867, 

 112), yet neither does it agree with Meligethes rujipes, which his 

 insect is generally supposed to have been. 



II. Thorax with margin broadly yellow. 



N. flexuosa, Fabr. — Elytra black, with two very variable spots on each, one at 

 base, and one in middle close to suture ; the four spots are often confluent, and en- 

 close a dark space round scutellum ; antennae rather long, yellowish, with dark club ; 

 legs yellow ; punctuation extremely fine, almost invisible ; thorax with anterior; 

 margin somewhat emarginate, broadest behind middle, and from thence contracted; j,. 

 to base. Length, 1^ — 2i lin. 



A very rare and doubtful species as British ; Scarborough, Mr. 

 Lawson ; Northumberland, Mr. Bold ; very probably imported with 

 hides or bones ; Mr. Bold himself considered his specimens taken 

 near Newcastle-on-Tyne to have been not truly indigenous. 



The species of the genus Nitidula are extremely variable in size, 

 as may be seen from the lengths above given. 



SOEONIA, Erichson. 

 The species of this genus, and also of the genus Omosita, ar^ 

 readily distinguished from all the other Nitidulidce by having the disc] 

 of the thorax distinctly impressed or wrinkled ; some species {e. g.\ 

 Omosiphora limhata) have a distinct longitudinal furrow at the base 

 but their disc is smooth ; slight traces of impressions are visible i: 

 many specimens of Epurcea parvula, and AmpJiotis and one or twcj 

 species of Bldzophagus occasionally show small impressions or punc-iq 

 tures, but these are apparently abnormal, and need hardly be takerii 

 into account when compared with the sculpture of the thorax of the| 

 above-named genera ; our two species of Soronia resemble each othe: 

 very closely in colour, having the thorax and elytra variegated wit] 

 black or dark brown and yellowish or reddish spots ; the elytra hav(| 

 four or five raised lines on each. 





