120 ADEPHAGA. \_Beralidiuin. 



and striated longitudinally ; elytra long oval, all the striss distinct and 

 entire, plainly punctured until bej^ond middle, where the punctures 

 cease and the stride become slightly feebler ; legs brownish testaceous, 

 upper side of femora metallic ; apex of abdomen testaceous. L. 5-5f 

 mm. 



Marshy places, at roots of grass, beneath dead leaves, &c. ; also on the banks of 

 rivers and streams ; rather local, but widely distributed and common where it occurs, 

 as far north as Yorkshire ; rare towards the north, and not recorded from Northumber- 

 land and Durham; Scotland, very rare, Lowlands, Tweed, Forth, Solway; has not 

 yet, apparently, been found in Ireland, but probably occurs at all events in the 

 south. 



B. varium, 01. (ustuJatum, Sturm.). Smaller than the jireceding, with 

 the elj'tra shorter, squarer at shoulders, and testaceous markings much 

 less distinct, sometimes almost obliterated, although rarely examples 

 occur in Avhich the light colour predominates ; the thorax is shorter, 

 with smootlier disc, less distinct dorsal furrow, slightly less prominent 

 posterior angles, and the base and basal fovete smoother ; elytra much 

 more finely striated, especially towards apex; apex of abdomen con- 

 colorous (very seldom lighter than the rest) ; legs pitchy testaceous. 

 L. 5 mm. 



Marshy places, banks of ponds, &c. ; local but often abundant on the coast where it 

 occurs, but always rarer inland ; it occurs as far north :is Yorkshire, where Mr. Hey 

 has taken it on Spurn Head; further north it appears to be entirely wanting, and 

 it has not occurred in Scotland; Ireland, Armagh, banks of Liffey, and other localities. 



S. adustum, Schaum {rupestre, Daws. G. Brit., varium var. A., 

 iHiv.). Aliout the size of JB. famigatum, which it very much resembles 

 in general appearance, but may be at once distinguished by having the 

 striae of the elytra entire and complete to aj^ex, Avhereas in fumigahim 

 the apex and sides are smooth ; the thorax is less contracted at base than 

 in that species, and the legs are darker : compared with varium, it may 

 at once be distinguished by its much smaller size ; the thorax also is 

 less rounded at the sides and less contracted behind (although in these 

 points the species seems liable to a little variation) ; the elytra are more 

 oval and less parallel-sided, the testaceous bands and markings as a rule 

 much more distinct, and the strite are dee^ier and more strongly punctured. 

 L. 3|-4 mm. 



Margins of rivers and streams, among shingle, or concealed in crevices in the 

 lianks : this and the succeeding species are instances of the way in which those insects 

 which have been considered extremely rare occasionally turn up in numbers : Dawson 

 (G. Brit. p. 197) states that the only examples that he had seen were in Stephens' 

 cabinet, and were stated to have been taken in Swansea: no other example was taken 

 until about 1878, when Mr. .1. T. Harris found a specimen on the banks of the Severn 

 at L'pton-on-Severn ; in 1S79, however. Mi-. W. (j. Blatch found it in profusion on 

 the banks of the Severn near Tewkesbury, a few miles below Upton, and I have since 

 taken it there myself; it has not, however, been recorded from any other locality. In- 

 stances like the capture of this insect, of fipp.rcheus emarginafus by Mr. Billups, 

 and lately of Hydvohius Perrisii hy Mr. Gardner of Hartlepool, tend to prove that 

 very few beetles are really rare if we can find out their localities and habitats ; at the 

 same time a study of the localities above given for the Bembidia will show that there 



