Brachysomus. | RHYNCHOPHORA. 193 
BRACHYSOMUS, Steph. (Platytarsus, Schonherr, pars). 
About a dozen species are contained in this genus which chiefly in- 
habit Europe; one or two occur also in Algeria; they are small, sub- 
globose, insects, with stout outstanding scale-like sete, the thorax 
transverse, the scrobes not deflexed, and the third joint of the funiculus of 
the antenne short ; they are found in moss, and at roots of low plants ; 
one of our British species is not uncommon, but the other is very rare, 
I. Eyes flat, contiguous to margin of thorax (Brachyso- 
mus, Steph.) ; second joint of funiculus of antenne 
considerably shorter than first; form broader and more 
PEELE pla al nee Sa lla le de al Sire aM le DS ECHINATUS, Bonsd. 
(hirsutulus, F.) 
II. Eyes convex, distant from the margin of thorax 
(Platytarsus, Schén.) ; second joint of funiculus of 
antennez not much shorter than first; form narrower 
OU: GON aera ne ee ee - . . B. HIRtus, Boh. 
(setulosus, Boh.) 
B. echinatus, Bonsd. (hirsutulus, F.). Fuscous-black or brown, 
with the antenne and legs red, scantily clothed with ashy scales; head 
flat, rostrum without central channel ; thorax strongly transverse, covered 
with erect seale-like sete, scarcely rounded at sides, not channelled, 
punctured ; elytra subglobose, with ashy scales on the interstices, and 
erect coarse scale-like sete throughout ; underside clothed with ashy 
scales ; legs moderately stout, tarsi short. _L, 2-22 mm. 
By beating and sweeping herbage, in early summer; also under dead leaves in 
winter ; locally common; London district, common, Shirley, Mickleham, Caterham, 
Darenth Wood, Chatham, Birch Wood, West Wickham, Reigate ; Bottisham, Cam- 
bridge ; Norfolk ; Swansea; Hereford ; Llangollen ; Llandudno; Knowle ; Bewdley ; 
Repton ; Liverpool; Northumberland and Durham district ; Scotland, rare, Tweed 
and Forth districts (Sharp) ; Balmuto, Fifeshire (Power). 
B. hirtus, Boh. (setulosus, Boh.). Allied to the preceding but dis- 
tinguished by having the eyes convex and distant from the anterior 
margin of the thorax, and the second joint of the funiculus of the 
antennge not much shorter than first ; the form is narrower and less con- 
vex, and the thorax is longer and more rounded at the sides; the 
margins of the thorax are furnished with a row of round whitish scales, 
aud the elytra are scantily clothed with narrow scales, and numerous 
raised scale-like setw, which are not at all claviform ; the general colour 
is darker. L, 22-3 mm, ; 
Chalky hill sides, in moss, &e., in early spring ; very rare; Caterham, one example 
in moss in April (Champion) ; Chatham (Walker) ; Tunbridge (Wollaston) ; Arundel, 
in moss, February, 1842 (S. Stevens) ; Southampton (Walton) ; Henley-on-Thames 
oO 
(Power); Mr. Douglashas found it in a primrose root from the London district 
which he bought in one of the London markets. 
EUVUSOMUWS, Germar. 
This genus contains about twenty species from Europe, Northern 
VOL. V. Oo 
