Supteniber, 1885.] 73 



Ceyptarcha, Shiickard. 

 Our British species of Cryptarcha are very distinct ; this is not, 

 however, the case with some of the exotic species {e.g., C. cnmptodoides 

 and C. thalycroides), which, as their names imply, bear a very close 

 superficial resemblance to other divisions of the Nitidiilidce. 



1. Length, 2f — 3 lin. Broad oval; thorax dark, except extreme margins of sides; 



club of antennae dark. 



C. strigata, Fabr.— Rather convex ; prevailing colour dark ; month, side mar- 

 gins of thorax, and two irregularly formed but constant bands on elytra, yellow or 

 red-yellow ; antennae (except club) and legs reddish. 



At sap and under bark, very often in connection with the burrows 

 of Cossus ligniijerda. Dunham Park, Manchester, Westerham, Eich- 

 mond Park, Coombe Wood, New Porest, Southampton ; Barmouth in 

 fungi. I have taken it by sweeping in Bretby Wood, near Eeptou. 



2. Length, 1 — 1^ lin. Long oval ; thorax with margins broadly testaceous ; an- 



tennae entirely red-brown. 

 C. imperialis, Fabr. — Of a longer form, and not so convex as the preceding 

 species ; prevailing colour reddish-testaceous ; disc of thorax, and two or three very 

 irregular bands on elytra, dark ; antennae and legs red-brown ; it also differs from 

 C. strigata in having the free outstanding bristles on the sides of the elytra more 

 proiuinent. 



Taken under the same conditions as the preceding, but much 

 rarer. Dunham Park, New Eorest, Southampton, &c. 



Ips, Fahricius. 

 1. Body oblong, more or less convex ; forehead smooth between antennae. 



a. Each elytron with two yellow spots, the one at base formed of three con- 



fluent spots, the other behind middle formed of two confluent spots, 



which are occasionally separated. 

 I. quadriguttata, Fabr.— Black, except spots on elytra ; rather finely and some- 

 what diffusely punctured ; antennae reddish or pitchy, club black ; apex of elytra 

 entirely rounded in males, pointed at suture in females ; the elytra show very weak 

 traces of longitudinal stria? ; occasionally the spots on the elytra are all divided. 

 This variety is the Nitidula 10-gnttata, Oliv. Length, 1^—2^ lin. 



Not uncommon under bark, and at sap, especially of oak trees. 

 Eipon, Manchester, New Forest, Dean Forest, and many other lo- 

 calities. 



b. Each elytron with two simple round or oval reddish spots. 



/. qiiadripunctata, Herbst. — Larger, more convex, and considerably more 

 strongly punctured than the preceding ; the apex of the elytra is entirely rounded 

 in both sexes ; in the males, as a rule, the head is large, and the thorax somewhat 



