122 



FOREST ENTOMOLOGY. 



pronotuui smooth, and elytra deeply punctured ; abdomen covered with 

 long hairs ; and the apex deeply and obliquely excavated, showing teeth 

 on each side. Antennae and legs ferruginous. Length 5J to 7 mm. 



Fowler gives as a habitat recently dead firs near London, and Mr 

 R. S. Bagnall places it as an introduced species to Hartlepool. It 

 is a very rare insect. 



TOMICUS ACUMINATUS (Gyll.) 



This insect is of a uniform terra-cotta colour, and slightly pub- 

 escent. Thorax longer than broad, and a slight depression in centre ; 

 the elytra fully cover the abdomen. 

 Eyes black ; antennae and legs 

 yellowish. 



The main characters, which are 

 microscopical, are found in the 

 toothed abdomen. There are three 

 teeth on each elytron ; the third 

 tooth is the longest. In the female 

 the third tooth is formed into a 

 sort of hook, whereas in the male it 

 is a sort of blunt forked spine. 



This is by no means a common 

 species, and I found it in Beanley 

 Wood, Northumberland, July 1906. 

 Fig. 118 shows the markings. 



'I'ul of. 



Genus PiTYOGENES. 



The genus Pityogenes, according 

 to Fowler, contains three species, 

 but I have only one species, viz., P. hidentatus, which in many dis- 

 tricts is very common. Barbey, who may be considered as a leading 

 German authority, places P. hidentatus in the genus Tomicus, but I 

 venture to think that Fowler's separation is a very good one, on the 

 ground that in Pityogenes " in the males only the apex is excavate, 

 and is furnished with strong teeth," and also that "the females have 

 a deep impression at the apex of the elytra near suture." Under a 

 strong lens this character is well maintained, — so much so, that the 

 thorax has a quite " nipped "-like appearance. 



