90 Mr. D. Sharp on some 



Ventral segments five in number, the basal one in the 

 middle line as long as the two following together, the 

 rest subequal. Legs slender,- front tibiae longer than the 

 others, and with a rather large apical spur; tarsi slender 

 and linear — I think, 4-jointed (possibly 5-jointed); the 

 penultimate joint simple. Elytra covering the hind body, 

 leaving, however, the tip of the pygidium visible. 



I am sorry I am unable to see accurately the structure 

 of the tarsi of this minute insect. It is a most difficult one 

 to classify. I have decided that, on the whole, it will be 

 at present least ill-placed in the Mycetophagidce, although 

 it has perhaps more the appearance of the NitidulidcB. 



SCARAB^IDiE. 



ApHODius (Auctorum plurimum). 



Aphodius pacijicus (n. sp. ex affinitate Ata3nii granula- 

 toris, Har. ). Nigi^icans, parum elongatus, opacus, antennis, 

 pedibus, capiteque anterius Sfepius rufescentibus ; capite 

 dense punctato, anterius parum distincte gi'anulato, clypeo 

 late emarginato, utrinque parum distincte subdenticulato ; 

 thorace brevi, dense fortiter punctato; elytris subsulcatis, 

 interstitiis subangulatis, anterius parum, posterius magis 

 elevatis, obsolete granulatis. Long. 3 mm. 



This species is of rather short form. The thorax has 

 the hind angles very broadly rounded, the punctuation at 

 its sides is very dense. The sculpture of the elytra is of 

 an indefinite character and very difficult to describe, indeed, 

 it varies considerably in its appearance according to the 

 direction from which it is viewed ; there are broad shallow 

 grooves, at the bottom of Avhich are very fine crenate, or 

 punctate striee; the intervals can scarcely be described as 

 convex, as they have an angulated ap]Dearance ; along the 

 middle of each interval is a series of very fine and very 

 closely placed granulations, and less definite granulations 

 may be seen along the lateral portions of the intervals. 

 The metasternum is very coarsely punctured; the ventral 

 segments also are coarsely and evenly but not deeply punc- 

 tured. The basal joint of the posterior tarsus is equal to 

 the length of the longer spur, and is as long as the three 

 following joints together. The colour is variable, being 

 sometimes brownish instead of black, and tlie legs, antenna; 

 and palpi are sometimes blackish, sometimes red. 



This species was sent by Mr. Blackburn as No. 232. 



