36 [J^iy- 



longitudinal cariniform projection on the front of the depression ; last abdominal 

 segment of male with a little raised keel before its extremity, and behind this a 

 smooth depressed surface ; anterior tarsi of male strongly dilated. 



There is a smaller variety of this species which, according to M. Brisout, has 

 less strong and deep punctuation ; the keel on the last abdominal segment of the 

 male is often deeply divided so as to present the appearance of two sharp tubercles 

 placed side by side. Length, f — 1 lin. 



var. gagathinus, Er. — This species of Erichson's is evidently nothing more than 

 a variety of M. lugubris ; it is larger and more convex, with darker pubescence, and 

 finer denticolation on the anterior tibiae, but it presents no really satisfactory points 

 of distinction. Length, li line. 



By general sweeping. Buckland Hill (Reigate), Esber, Bear- 

 stead, Shirley, Mickleham, Caterham, Amberley, Kingsdown, &e. It 

 is a very local species. According to M. Brisout it occurs on species 

 of Mentha. 



B, Upper surface dull black, with plain cross reticulation ; anterior 

 tibiee with two outstanding teeth ; legs dark, anterior pair 

 dark red. 



a. Forehead straight ; anterior tarsi of male very strongly 

 dilated. 



M. ohscurus, Er. (palmatus, Er., J). — Eather broader and more oblong than 

 31. erythropus, which it much resembles ; dull, leaden, with distinct cross reticula- 

 tion between punctures ; punctuation thick and close ; pubescence thick, greyish or 

 brownish ; thorax one-third broader than long ; antennae black, with the first or the 

 first two joints brown-red ; anterior tibiae armed with two short prominent teeth, 

 separated by two or more smaller teeth. The male has the anterior tarsi extraordi- 

 narily developed, and often lighter in colour ; it is the 31. palmatus of Erichson, 



and for a long time stood under that name in British collections. 



Length, | — | lin. 



Local ; on Mentha aquatica, Cynoglossiim officinale, and Helian- 

 themum vulgare ; Eslier, Mickleham, Darenth, Amberley, Seven Oaks, 

 Southsea ; Bearstead (Kent) on Teucrium scorodonia, Mr. Grorham ; 

 Llangollen, on Linaria vulgaris, Mr. Chappell. 



The M. distinctus of "Waterhouse's catalogue must be referred to 

 this species ; the true M. distinctus, Sturm., is not a British species ; 

 for some reason M. Brisout omits it altogether from his Synopsis : it 

 ■would appear, however, to be readily separable from M. ohscurus (ac- 

 cording to Herr Reitter, w^ho places it in a group by itself), by having 

 the interstices smooth and the anterior margin of the forehead emar- 

 ginate : as regards shape, colour and denticulation of anterior tibiae, 

 it is closely allied to our species, and hence probably arose the mistake. 



{To be continued). 



