42 STAPHYLINID.E. [OciJUSa. 



"VYoll., but is darker, more convex, eliDtigate, and shining, less closely 

 punctured, Avitli shorter antennae, &c, 



O. maura, Er. Eather convex, finely pubescent, shining black ; 

 head large, nearly as broad as thorax, antennae long, pitchy or dark 

 ferruginous with the base lighter, third joint a little shorter than second, 

 4-6 not transverse, seventh slightly, 8-10 plainly transverse ; thorax 

 subquadrate, about as long as broad, with sides scarcely rounded, rather 

 finely and thickly punctured ; elytra plainly broader but scarcely longer 

 than thorax, thickly and rather strongly punctured ; hind body parallel, 

 with the front segments strongly impressed horizontally, finely and not 

 closely punctured ; legs pitchy or pitchy red, with the knees, tarsi, and 

 sometimes tibiae lighter. L. 2| mm. 



Male with the ventral plate of seventh segment of hind body 

 prolonged. 



Marshy places, under refuse, at roots of gras«, &c. ; not uncommon in the 

 Louflon, Southern, and Midhiiid districts ; rarer further north, and not recorded from 

 Scotland. 



O. picina, Aube {fulvicornis, Fairm., ruficornis, Kr.). Very closely 

 allied to the preceding, but rather larger, and easily distinguished by its 

 reddish antennae and legs^ and less strong punctuation ; the pubescence 

 also is a little closer, and the antennae are a little longer ; the thorax is 

 slightly narrowed behind ; the hind body is a little more closely 

 punctured, and the fifth segment is horizontally impressed at base ; the 

 upper surface is never as black as in 0. maura, and occasionally it is 

 entirely of a pitchy brown colour. L. 2| mm. 



Marshy places ; in moss at the roots of trees, at roots of grass, in the stems of 

 water-plants, &c. ; local fmd not common. London district rare ; VVaddnn (Surrev), 

 Cowley, Maidstone, Bearsted, Balcombe (Hayward's Heath); Toubridge ; Shirley 

 Warren, Southampton; Horning Feu j Bewdley j Sutton Park, near JBirmingham 

 (taken abundantly by Mr. Blatch). 



PKIiCEOPORA, Erichson. 



At present there are about thirty species known of this genus, which 

 have been found in most parts of the world : Dr. Sharp, who has lately 

 described twelve new species from Central America, is of opinion that in 

 all probability South and Central America will be found to be the head- 

 quarters of the genus ; they are found under bark : the two British 

 species may be distinguished as follows : — 



Elytra entirely, or almost entirely, red ; upper surface 



rather dull, with close pubescence ; elytra longer ... P. EEPTANS, Orav. 



Elytra usually dark brown, or red only towards apex ; 

 upper surlace rather shining with less close pubescence ; 

 elytra shorter P, coeticalis, Orav. 



The larva of Phloeopora reptans is described and figured by Perris, Ann. Fr. 1853, 

 p. 557, P. 17, Fig. 1 — 8: it is about 3 mm. in length, linear and elongate, of a livid 

 white colour, with the head and thoracic segments reddish j the head is rather large 



