120 Mr. F. Holme on the Habits, 



testaceous," but deep clay-colour, which colour does not appear on 

 a vertical view.* 



Tlie Quedii, though closely allied to the Philonthi, have suf- 

 ficient differences in habit to enable a practised eye to distinguish 

 them at once ; for, exclusive of the difference in the anterior tarsi, 

 &c., their broader and rounder head, less distinct neck, and more 

 attenuated abdomen, at once mark them. Their habits, too, differ 

 from those of Ph'ilonthus ; for, though some of the species are 

 occasionally found in dung or decaying animal matter, the exclu- 

 sive pabula of the Philonthi, the majority are found under stones, 

 at the roots of grass, and frequently under loose bark on the 

 branches of trees, where they prey on earwigs, woodlice, &c. 

 Most of this genus, and also of the Philonthi, are much on the 

 wing when the sun shines. As I have nothing of interest to 

 mention relative to the habits of this genus, I shall proceed to 

 give a few localities of the species noticed by Stephens as among 

 the less common. 



Queditis gracilis : Gloucestershire and Lancashire ; not uncom- 

 mon in dung. 



Q. 'pyrrho'pus : Gloucestershire, under stones; not common. 



Q. hcemorrhoas : under bark of trees, near Southend, and in 

 Kent. I took many at Brome Park, the seat of Sir Henry 

 Oxendon. 



Q. hoemojiterus : with the last, but less common ; also in Glou- 

 cestershire, where I never found the other ; the red on the elytra 

 in both these species is much more vivid when alive than after 

 death. 



Q. suturalis : I have several specimens of this not very com- 

 mon insect, most of which were taken, if I remember right, in 

 Cornwall and Devonshire, in dung, though I do not find it men- 

 tioned in my local catalogues. I have also taken it in Gloucester- 

 shire. 



Q. erylhropterus : in Lord Bathurst's park, near Cirencester, 

 Gloucestershire. 



The genus Philonihus is one of the most numerous, both in 

 species and individuals, of the larger Brachelytra : they occur in 

 profusion in every heap of dung throughout the summer and 

 autumn, preying voraciously on the A phodii anil, other coprophagous 

 genera, and apparently destroying more than they require for food, 



* Since writing this I have seen Mr. Curtis's beautiful figure : it appears that 

 it has now been taken in many places ; but it is to be regretted that Mr. Curtis 

 should have selected it as an example of Quedius, since, even if we reject the 

 genus Miciosauriis, its figure differs considerably from that of the typical Quedii. 



