138 SERRICORNIA. | Telephorus. 
On flowers and shrubs, &c.; common and generally distributed throughout the 
greater part of England and Wales and Ireland; in the north of England, however, 
and in Scotland, it is replaced by the variety. 
V. discoideus, Steph. (mec Ahr.).* This variety has a large black 
discoidal patch on the dise of thorax, which sometimes covers the whole 
upper surface except the margins; it is also, as a rule, a little smaller 
than the type. 
Not uncommon in the London district, but as a rule rather scarce, although 
widely distributed, in England and Wales; in the north of England and in Scotland 
it is far commoner than the type form. Ireland, Glenarm, Larne. 
T.obscurus, L. Entirely black, with the under-side of the first 
joint of the antenne, and the margins of the thorax more or less broadly, 
yellow ; the mandibles also and the extreme margins and apex of the 
segments of the abdomen are testaceous, as well as the tarsal claws; head 
finely punctured ; thorax subtransverse, longer and with sides less rounded 
in male than in female; elytra very finely rugose, with traces of raised 
lines, especially in male; legs entirely black. L. 8-10 mm. 
Male with the antenne longer and joints 5-10 with an impressed 
punctiform line behind, third joint a little longer than second. 
Female with the antenne shorter, simple, third joint scarcely longer 
than second. 
On flowers and shrubs; local; rare in England; Vale of Crucis, Llangollen 
(Chappell) ; Sherwood (Turner and Blatch); Church Stretton (Blatch); Scotland, 
local, Solway, Forth, Tay, Dee, and Moray districts; the species appears to be con- 
fined to hilly and mountainous localities. 
T. lituratus, Fall. (rufa, L.; maculicollis, Steph.; bicolor, Panz.). 
This species varies very much in colour; as a rule it is testaceous with 
the vertex of head, an irregular marking on disc of thorax, and the 
greater part of the abdomen and legs black; the antenne are more or 
less dusky with lighter base; occasionally the thorax and legs are en- 
tirely testaceous, and rarely the elytra are black ; head finely pune- 
tured, antenne varying in the sexes; thorax about as long as broad, 
obsoletely punctured, anterior angles rounded, posterior angles almost 
right angles; elytra very finely sculptured, with distinct traces of raised 
lines; legs rather robust. L. 65-9 mm. 
Male with the antenne much longer than in female, without im- 
pressed lines on central joints, third joint about twice as long as 
second. 
Female with the antenne shorter, third joint of antenne only slightly 
longer than second; elytra not covering apex of abdomen; seventh 
ventral segment sinuate at each side, central lobe sharply incised at 
apex. 
* This variety must not be confounded with the 7. discoideus of Ahrens, which is 
quite a different insect, and by reason of the formation of the tarsal claws is placed by 
Erichson in a separate section, 
