96 HETEROMERA. [ Meloé, 
Found crawling about on heaths and commons, meadows, grassy banks, roadsides, 
pathways near the coast, &c., especially in early spring ; common and generally dis- 
tributed throughout the greater part of England, but less common further north ; 
Scotland, not common, Solway, Forth, Clyde, Tay, Dee, and Moray districts ; Ireland, 
near Dublin, and probably widely distributed. 
V. cyaneus, Muls. This variety, which was considered by Mulsant 
to be a separate species, is usually smaller than the type form, witha 
purplish-violet metallic head and thorax, the punctures of which are 
not so coarse, and with less rugose elytra; the base of the thorax is 
almost straight, whereas in the type form it is evidently, although feebly, 
emarginate, and there is a more or less evident longitudinal depression on 
the thoracic central line behind the middle ; from M. violaceus this insect 
may be known by the decidedly shorter thorax (of which the base is not 
nearly so deeply emarginate, and has no transverse channel), the black 
elytra and body, and the more metallic head and thorax. 
Rare; Isle of Man (Rev. R. P. Murray); Sutton, near Birmingham (Mr. W. G. 
Blatch). 
MM. violaceus, Marsh. (rujipes, Bremi). Closely allied to the pre- 
ceding, from which it may be known by being entirely of a bright 
bluish or violaceous colour, and the less coarse and more diffuse punc- 
tuation of the head and thorax; the latter is also quite differently 
shaped, being longer and narrower, gradually rounded in front and 
narrowed behind, and furnished at base (which is rather strongly 
emarginate) with a distinct transverse impression; the elytra are rather 
shallowly rugose ; the male characters are the same as in M. proscara- 
beus. L. 12-36 mm. 
Roadsides, commons, heaths, &c., in early spring ; local and much less common than 
the preceding species, and in some districts decidedly rare ; London district, rather 
common, Mickleham, Caterham, Esher, Chatham, Strood, Cowley, Reigate, &e. ; 
Dover; Hampshire; Glanvilles Wootton; Swansea; Barnwood, near Gloucester ; 
Sutton and Knowle, near Birmingham; Repton, Burton-on-Trent ; Withington and 
Barton, Cheshire; Scotland, rare, Dee and Argyle districts; Ireland, Dublin, 
Wicklow, Belfast, &c. 
IM. autumnalis, Ol. Bluish, bluish-green or blue with various 
reflections, smooth, shining, and sparingly punctured on head and 
thorax, the latter about as long as broad, rounded for its anterior fourth 
part and thence subparallel to base ; posterior angles blunt, base broadly 
emarginate, with a transverse furrow before margin, disc with a longi- 
tudinal central furrow; elytra with scattered punctures which are 
larger and more shallow than those of thorax, and are sometimes more 
or less rugose; legs more or less metallic, moderately stout. L. 8-14 
mm. 
Male with the antennez longer than in female, and joints 3-7 of the 
antennz gradually more compressed than in the preceding ; last ventral 
segment of abdomen truncate and subemarginate. 
On grassy banks, pathways, &c.; especially near the coast ; in the autumn; very 
