1S86.1 205 



This species is sometimes made to do duty for E. punctafus, and 

 I constantly find it mixed up in collections with JE. siqnatus ; speci- 

 mens of the latter, on the other hand, being frequently substituted for 

 E. Karsteni. 



I do not consider this a very common species, although I have 

 met with it in most localities in which I have hunted for Euplecti, 

 including Smallheath, Edgbaston, Sutton Park, and Knowle near 

 Birmingham, Salford Priors, Cannock Chase, Bewdley Forest, and 

 Sherwood. It is found in hot-beds in company with E. signatus, 

 amongst debris in barns, and also under bark of dead trees. 



4. E. SIGNATUS, Eeich., Mon., p. 73, fig. 22 ; Waterhouse, loc. cit. 



Long., I'l — 1-2 mm, G-enerally a little larger than E. Karsteni. Head punc- 

 tured at sides only above the eyes, grooves deep, convergent, uniting in a curve with 

 the transverse depression in front, the puncture at each end of the latter being 

 placed farther from the side margin than in E. Karsteni. Depressions at base of 

 abdomen moderately deep, their sides divergent. Intermediate tibite of S armed 

 with a small spur at apex, varying in size in different individuals. 6th ventral 

 segment of abdomen in ^ emarginate, with a large deep fovea in middle, on each 

 side of which is a very minute tubercle. 



Abundant in hot-beds. On one occasion I found two specimens 

 in rotten wood in Sherwood Forest. 



B. Species darker, black, pitchy-black or pitchy-red. 



a. Head with a distinct basal fovea. 



1. E. NANUS, Eeich. E. Kirbt/i, Denny, Mon. Psel. ; Waterhouse, loc. cit. ; Ent. 

 Mo. Mag., xvi, 123. 



Long., 1'5 mm. The coloration of this species is peculiar, the fore parts being 

 pitchy and the abdomen reddish, the antennae and legs lighter. Pubescence rather 

 long. Grooves on head strongly convergent, forming an inverted V more or less 

 pronounced, frontal pair of punctures absent ; the triangular shape of the basal 

 fovea, together with the convergent grooves, give the central raised area the form of 

 an arrow-head. The insect is punctured all over, with a row of punctures in each 

 sutural and dorsal stria, the latter elongate, extending beyond middle of elytra. 

 Basal depressions on abdomen distinct, their sides very divergent. ^ with a dis- 

 tinct spur at apex of intermediate tibiae, 5th ventral segment of abdomen deeply 

 and widely emarginate at base, and depressed in middle of apex. 6th segment with 

 a transverse groove in middle. 



Eather variable in size, colour and sculpturation. Some examples are uniformly 

 reddish ; some are sti'ongly others feebly pimctured, and whilst the grooves on the 

 head mostly take the V form, others are decidedly more or less U shaped. On a fair 

 proportion of the specimens I have examined there is a rather distinct short stria 

 midway between the dorsal and sutural striae of the elytra. 



After carefully examining a large number of specimens of both 

 sexes, I have come to the conclusion that the beetle described by Mr. 



