Aleochara ] staphylinid^t;. 15 



pube-;ceiicc, with a ])roa.l ill-defined red markin,!^ at tlio apex of each 

 (dytron ; head rather plainly punctured, autenna3 sliglitly thickened 

 towards apex with the third joint cipial +.0 the second, black with base 

 lighter; thorax broader than long, convex, narrowed in front, finely and 

 thickly punctured ; elytra strongly transverse, plaiidy shorter than 

 thorax, very closely and rugosely punctured, rather dull ; hind body not 

 elongate, broad at base and plainly narrowed from base to apex, very 

 closely punctured towards base, less closely towards apex, with very 

 strong raised margins ; legs reddish, femora often darker. L. 4-5 mm. 



JNlale M'ith the seventh segment of hind body broadly sinuate and 

 obfoletely crenulate on apical margin. 



This species may at once be distinguished from A. tridis, which it 

 somewhat resembles, by its much less parallel shape, the gradual narrow- 

 ing of the hind body from base to apex, the absence of outstanding settB 

 on the thorax, and tlie more obscure and ill-defined red markings on elytra. 



Ill dunor, moss, haystack refuse, &c. ; very widely distributed from Manchester 

 downwards, but it can hardly be called connnon, except perhaps in the London dis- 

 trict : it appears to become rarer further north, and in Scotland is scarce, having 

 occurred only sparingly in the Forth and Solway districts. Ireland, Waterf'ord 

 (Power), and Galway (J. J. Walker). 



A. cuniculorum, Kraatz {hisignata, "\V. C, Barijodma {Pohjchara) 

 cimiculorum, Muls. et Eey), Elongate, rather narrow, finely and some- 

 what thickly pubescent, shining black, with a more or less plajnly 

 marked red patch at the apex of each elytron ; head rather sparingly 

 punctured ; antennie feebly thickened towards apex, third joint hardly 

 longer than second, joints 6-10 moderately transverse about one and a 

 half times as broad as long ; thorax about a third broader than long, 

 narrowed in front, convex, finely and rather thickly punctured ; elytra 

 as long as thorax, transverse, thickly, and rather rugosely, punctured ; 

 hind body rather long gradually and not strongly narrowed to apex, 

 finely and thickly punctured in front, almost smooth behind ; legs red 

 or pitchy red. L. 3|-4 mm. 



^Nfale with dorsal plate of seventh segment of hind body slightly 

 sinuate and very finely ciliate, ventral plate prolonged and set with long 

 cilia. 



S indy places ; in dung, dead animals, &c. ; also near the burrows of rabbits ; rare; 

 Maidstone. Shirley near Croydon, Richmond Park, West Wickham, Birch Wood, 

 Darcnth, Bearsted ; Hayling Island; Guestling, near Hastings; Scotland, rare, 

 Forth district only. 



This species appears to differ very little from A. hisir/nata, Er., Avitli 

 Avhich it has been considered synonymous ; IMul.sant and Rey separate 

 A. cunifulorum and A. hisujnata, but unite. .4. cujiiculorum and 

 A. mandata. 



A. cuniculorum is very variable in size, especially in breadth, some 

 sjiecimens being rather broad and some very slender. 



A. maculata, Bris. Very like the preceding but broader, with 



