Micro(jlossa.] stapiiylinid/E. 23 



arc reputed as British, bat M. marginalis appears at present to be rather 

 doubtful. 



I. Sixth segment of liiiid body ubout as long as the pre- 

 ceding ; punctualion of thorax indistinct M. SUTUEALIS, JfaM». 



II. Sixth s(>guient of hind body evidently longer than the 



preceding ; punctuation of thorax distinct, more or less 

 coarse. 



i. Sides of thorax red M. MAHGINALIS, Oyll. 



ii. Thorax unicolorous bh'ck or pitchy. 



1. Third joint of antennas slightly shorter than second ; 



size smaller and narrower ; upper surface duller. 



A. Punctuation of thorax and elytra distinctly 

 coarser ; hind body less closely punctured towards 



apex M. PTTLLA, Gyll. 



B. Punctuation of thorax and elytra distinctly closer ; 



hind body uniformly punctured M. NIDICOIA, Fair. 



2. Second and third joints of antennae of equal length j 



size larger and broader ; upper surface more shining. M. GENTILIS, Maerk. 



IMC. suturalis, Mann, {prcetexta, Er., Cratarcea suturalis, Thorns.). 

 Elongate, rather parallel, with rather long and not very thick pubescence ; 

 head and thorax pitch-black, elytra pitchy with the suture and some- 

 times apex more or less broadly reddish, hind body with apex and inter- 

 sections of segments reddish-testaceous ; head rather large, obsoletely 

 punctured, antennse entirely red, rather long, slightly thickened from the 

 fourth joint to apex, third joint plainly shorter than second, 5-10 

 strongly transverse ; thorax rather strongly transverse, only sliglitly 

 narrowed in front, very finely punctured ; elytra plainly longer than 

 thorax and less closely punctured; hind body almost as broad at base 

 as base of elytra, finely and not closely punctured ; legs testaceous. 

 L. 2^-2f mm. 



Male with ventral plate of seventh segment of hind body prolonged 

 into an angle in the middle of its apical border. 



In haystack refuse, &c. ; common and widely distributed in the Midlands and the 

 south of England ; rarer further north ; i-ecorded by Mr. Bold as very rare in the 

 Northumberland district ; it has not hitherto occurred in Scotland ; it appears to be 

 rather rare in France. 



IW. xnarg-inalis, Gyll. {Haploglossa rufi^^ennis, Kr. *). This species 

 is distinguished I'rom the three succeeding by the red colour of the 

 sides of the thorax and of the apex of the segments of the hind body ; it 

 is more liiiely and closely punctured than either M. pulla or M. (jentiUs, 

 and has the antennae rather less thickened than the latter species ; the 

 elytra are bright red, except at the scutellum, and near the posterior 

 angles ; the antennae are brownish with the base and apical joints reddish 

 testaceous, and the legs are entirely red. L. 3 mm. 



Taken by Mr. Crotch, I believe, near Cambridge ; according to Kraatz it is 

 associated in Finance with Formica cunicularia. 



* There are one or two records of the occurrence of R. rufipennis in Britain ; the 

 insect, however, must be referred to M. pulla. 



