British Oribatidse. By A. D. Michael. 241 



portions are much lower in level, and expand into a shelf with 

 deepish indentations for the insertion of first pair of legs and 

 shallower ones for the second pair. Tectum so entirely amalga- 

 mated with cephcdotliorax that it is only shown by two strong 

 spinose bristles standing up at its termination ; two similar bristles 

 stand up straight behind the first pair, just at the hind margin of 

 the vertex, two shorter similar ones horizontal at the above-named 

 constrictions ; stigmata at the edge of the raised jmrt of cephalo- 

 thorax almost under the edge of the alidomen ; the stigmatic hairs 

 medium length, standing upwards and slightly outwards, filiform, 

 about half the length, thence spatulate with blunt-pointed tips. 

 Mandibles large and projecting. 



Abdomen a short pear-shape, hinder end very round, anterior 

 end narrow, with a rounded point projecting on to cephalothorax 

 and joined to it on a level ; a strong spike stands straight out 

 horizontally from each edge of the dorsal plate between the second 

 and third pairs of legs. A row of about seven very long hairs 

 (nearly half as long as the abdomen) curved backwards round edge 

 of each side of abdomen ; six similar round hind margin lower in 

 level, and three pairs down back more central ; coxae of first two 

 pairs of legs hidden, those of two hind pairs conspicuous; all 

 trochanters stout, claws large. 



20. NoTASPis LUCORUM. Koch. 

 Zetes lucorum. Koch, fasc. 31, pi. 18. 



Average length about * 67 mm., but variable breadth about 

 "37 mm. 



A creature which I believe, not without doubt, to be Koch's 

 lucorum, has been found by Mr. George at Kirton Lindsey, and by 

 me at Epping and Loch Maree ; it had, however, been previously 

 found by Mr. Underbill, of Oxford, and figured by him in the 

 ' Notes of the Postal Microscopic Club,' December tilth, 1877. It is 

 a very variable species, the abdomen in some specimens, being con- 

 siderably longer in shape than in others. The distinctions from 

 the last species are, its larger size and more pointed abdomen, the 

 stigmatic hairs being much shorter, and instead of being spatulate 

 having a short filiform stalk terminated by a piriform club, so short 

 as usually to appear a ball which hardly rises above the Imck, and 

 that the dorsal hairs are much shorter. 



GENUS SCUTOYERTEX.* Mihi. 



This genus I have, somewhat unwillingly, originated, for a 

 creature which has not, to my knowledge, been recorded before, and 

 which, although bearing many resemblances to Eremicus, is so 

 opposed to some of the main characteristics by which Nicolet defines 



* Sndum, a shield, and vertex, the top of the head. 

 VOL. II. R 



