1S850 263 



hh. Punctuation much stronger on elytra than on thorax. 



M. ochropus, Sturm. — Broad and short oval, convex, strongly and diffusely 

 punctured ; antennae of a light reddish colour, first two joints yellow ; legs as a rule 

 yellow, occasionally darker ; punctuation of elytra very diffuse and strong ; male 

 with a smooth shining tubercle on the last abdominal segment ; anterior tibiae with 

 three or four sharp teeth at apex, which are not so strongly developed as in M 

 difficilis ; the chief character of this species lies in the outer margin of the posterior 

 tibiae, which is not rounded, but dilated in almost a straight line until the lower 

 third, where it is suddenly and obliquely contracted {vide Ent. Ann., 1873, 28). 



Length, f — 1 lin. 



Eare ; on Lahiatcs ; New Forest ; Claygate Lane (Esher) ; Eusper, 

 near Horsham, and Eastry, on Stachys sylvatica, Mr. GorLam ; Cater- 

 ham, Mr. Champion. This species was first recorded as British by 

 Mr. Bold (Ent. Mo. Mag., iif, 47), but his specimen was M.. hrunni- 

 cornis ; Mr. Crotch's ochropus was also J\I. hrunnicornis, according to 

 Mr. Eye ; M. Brisout named it morosus (Ent. Mo. Mag., vi, 282). 



8. Body long oval ; shining, with dark brown reflection. 



M. hrunnicornis, Sturm. — About the size and shape of M. difficilis, but distin- 

 guished by its rather closer punctuation, lighter antennae and legs, and the brown 

 reilection of both thorax and elytra, the former of which has usually light margins ; 

 the anterior margin of the forehead is, for all practical purposes, straight, and is a 

 very useful character by which to separate dark specimens of this species from im- 

 mature M. difficilis, which has it evidently emarginate ; it also resembles M. 

 ochropus, but is narrower, flatter, and more finely punctured than that species, 

 besides being differently coloured ; the plain grey pubescence, also, which is espe- 

 cially notieeable in fresh specimens, is a good distinguishing character ; the male 

 has a small shining tubercle at the extremity of the last segment of the abdomen, 

 which is wanting in M. difficilis. Length, f — 15 lin. 



On Lahiat(B, especially Lamium album and Stachys sylvatica; widely 

 distributed ; Dover, Eastry, Eusper, Mickleham, Lee, Claygate, Leith 

 Hill, Caterham, Highgate, New Forest, &c. 



B. Moderately shining, black ; punctuation close and fine, almost the 

 same on elytra as on thorax. 



M. viduatus, Sturm. — Rather broad oval, with close punctuation, which gives 

 the insect a rather dull appearance as compared with species belonging to the pre- 

 ceding division ; pubescence blackish ; antennae dark brown, with the first two 

 joints red ; hinder pairs of legs dark brown, with the tibiae somewhat obliquely 

 cut off towards apex, front legs lighter ; anterior tibiae with two or three conspicu- 

 ously stronger teeth at apex ; thorax somewhat narrowed in front, with the side 

 border slightly raised. Male with the last abdominal segment simple. 



Length, 1 — Ij line. 



On Lahiatce, especially Salvia prafensis, Galeopsis tetrahit, and 



