62 CATALOGUE OF THE INSECTS OF 



Erichson, Gen. et Spec. Staph., 892. — Heer, Fn. Col. Helv., 

 i., 180. — Omalium Primulae, Kirhy, Steph. Illust, Mand., 

 v., 356? 



About double the size of ^. minutum, more elongate, with the 

 habit of an Omalium, nigro-fuscous, rather shining, glabrous, ab- 

 domen indistinctly pubescent. Antennae longer than the head and 

 thorax, rather slender, slightly thickened towards the apex, (the 

 last five joints) ; testaceous, the base rather palest, pilose. Mouth 

 and palpi testaceous. Head triangular, much less than the thorax, 

 two minute fovese between the eyes, and two rather shallow ones 

 at the base of the antennae, margin of the apex elevated, a very 

 slightly elevated transverse bent ridge crossing the middle of the 

 head before the ocelli, scarcely punctate, at the border of each 

 eye finely longitudinally strigose; black, slightly shining. Eyes 

 very prominent. Thorax transverse, truncate cordate, or sub- 

 quadrate, a little narrower than the elytra, scarcely one half 

 longer than broad, the sides rounded, slightly margined, more 

 distinctly at each of the posterior angles, consequent on a very 

 obsolete lateral impression, slightly narrowed towards the base, 

 base and apex truncate, anterior angles rounded, posterior angles 

 right angled, bluntish; slightly convex, scatteredly and rather 

 finely punctate, an obsolete rounded impression at the base before 

 the scutellum; rather shining, fuscous black, lateral margins 

 rufescent. Scutellum smooth. Elytra more than twice as long 

 as the thorax, widest behind, the sides deflexed, apex slightly, 

 external apex obliquely rounded, interiorly truncate in both sexes, 

 thickly and strongly punctate, at the apex narrowly smoothened, 

 and with the puncturing finer, some of the punctures next the 

 apex, suture shewing a tendency to arrangement in a series, rather 

 widely depressed along the suture, and slightly near the shoulders; 

 fusco-rufescent, apical and sometimes the lateral margins more 

 dilute, shining. Abdomen, behind the elytra, about half their 

 length, exceedingly finely punctulate, black, somewhat shining, 

 apex testaceous, in the female with two very short styles. 



This agrees so closely with Stephens' description of Omalium 

 Primuloe, that I cannot but regard it as the same; but since it 

 is placed in his division, with "the thorax deeply foveolated,'' there 



