258 f'^P"'' 



H. BiNOTATUS, Steph., the largest in the genus, is not uncommon under sea- 

 weed at certain parts of our southern coasts. It differs from H. proevius in having 

 a less convex thorax (of which the sides are not so straight, being gradually and 

 perceptibly contracted from the base towards the front) and the base of its antennae 

 of a lighter testaceous colour. The antennae, also, are longer, with the joints more 

 conic, the penultimate being rather longer than broad ; the legs are rather lighter 

 in colour, the elytra are margined with testaceous at the apex, and the abdomen is 

 not so closely punctured. Its broader head, longer elytra, and widely diffei-ent 

 habitat, will serve to separate this species from if. dissimilis. 



In Erichson's description the word scutellum in the last line of p. 516 should, 

 obviously, be abdomen. 



I possess a specimen of this insect (given to me by its captor, Mr. Brewer) in 

 which the elytra have no light apical margin. 



H. DISSIMILIS, Grav., is frequently found in abundance at the bottoms of hay- 

 stacks, in company with Haploglossa prcetexta, divers Stilici, Monotomce, small bugs 

 (pallid, ghost-like, but of the genuine "iouquet"), Cryptophagi, Typhcea, &c. It 

 somewhat closely resembles some of the smaller Quedii (e. g., boops a,ndsemi-ce7ieus), 

 but may be readily known on the collecting-paper by a certain snake-like attenuation 

 of its head and thorax, and by its very rapid movements and ashy-pubescent 

 appearance. Its oblong-oval head easily distinguishes it from its congeners, from 

 which it differs also in being of a lighter colour, — its elytra often having the lateral 

 and apical margins widely testaceous or reddish-testaceous, and its thorax being 

 sometimes pitchy, instead of deep black. Its abdomen is less closely punctured 

 than in the other species, and the joints of its antennae are slightly longer than in 

 H. binotatus. 



H. QUADKIPUNCTULUS, Grav. (or, rather, the insect which I refer to that species), 

 seems to be next in rarity to H. prwvius. There are three specimens of it in Mr. 

 G. R. Waterhouse's cabinet and two in my own ; and Mr. E. A. Smith and Mr. J. 

 A. Brewer appear to have taken it in the month of June, in nests of Formica 

 fuUginosa, at Hampstead and Tilgate Forest. It is about the size of H. dissimiUs, 

 from which, as from all its congeners, it may be known by its almost entirely black 

 colour, the head and thorax being deep and polished blabk, and the antennae 

 entirely dark, even at the base : the only light parts appear to be the legs, which 

 are pitchy-testaceous (in my specimens they are pitchy-brown). Compared with 

 H. dissimilis, the head is less oblong, the abdomen is more closely and delicately 

 punctured, the elytra are less closely punctured, and the penultimate joints of the 

 antennae are not quite so elongate. 



Kraatz (1. c, p. 486) seems rather to obscure his description of this species by 

 terming its antennae " graciles" and " schlanK' (adjectives not to be entirely recon- 

 ciled with his further account of those organs, which he particularizes as being 

 slightly thickened towards the extremity), and by referring to the head (and thorax) 

 as somewhat longer and narrower than in E. dissimiUs. These characters, as 

 regards the antennae, seem scarcely supported by his own description ; and, as 

 regards the head, are contradicted by the terms of the diagnosis given by him for 

 each of the two insects in question, for therein he terms the head of quadripunctuhis 

 ovate, and of ddssimilis oblong-ovate, — in accordance with Erichson in each case. 



