NEW BRITISH SPECIES, ETC., IN 1865. 73 



dilatation of front tarsi) ; Onthophagus and Aphodius (de- 

 velopment of horns or tubercles on clypeus), in the former of 

 which there are nearly always three forms ; Prognatha (horns 

 on the head); BlediuSj CoprU, Sinodendro7iy &c. (horns, kc, 

 on the head and thorax) ; Typhccus (horns on the thorax) ; 

 Ospliya (c^eneral development and colour, and especially 

 the normally enormous inflation of hinder femora in the male, 

 which are sometimes entirely simple in small individuals 

 of that sex, as in the females), &:c. I possess, also, a male 

 oi Stenus lusirator, wherein the usual curls of hair on the 

 underside of the abdomen in that sex are wanting- ; and a 

 female of Harpalus caspius with the polished surface of the 

 male. Dijtiscus marginalis and circumflexus are notorious 

 on account of their females sometimes assuming the male 

 form ; and many Hydropori and a few Agahi also vary in 

 a like way. 



It may be remarked that many false species (and even 

 genera) have been described from these or similar instances 

 of abnormal sexual disparities. 



17. Necrophorus gallicus, J. du Val. Glan. ii. 139; 

 J. A. Power, " The Entomologist," vol. i. p 199. 



From Dr. Power's remarks, it appears that this insect is 

 related to N. interruptus {fossor, Er.) in much the same way 

 that N. microcephalus is to N. ruspator ; except that the 

 differences in size and the sexual development of clypeus 

 and hinder trochanters are inverted ; — gallicus being the 

 major form. The observations, therefore, made concerning 

 the last above-noticed insect will apply, mutatis mutandis j 

 to the present. 



.Dr. Powei" appears to have less faith in this as a species, 

 than in microcpphalus. 



