80 STAPHYLiNiD^. {^Homoloia. 



punctured, sixth segment nearly impunctate ; legs testaceous, posterior 

 tarsi long and rather stout. L. 3^ mm. 



Male with the under plate of seventh segment projecting a little heyond 

 the upper and with apex rounded, female with the under plate not 

 projecting and emarginate in middle. 



Very common under sea- weed and among shingle on the coasts and estuaries 

 throughout the country. 



Easily distinguished by its very scanty punctuation. 



H. nitidula, Kr. {Liogluta nitidula, Muls. et Key, Athefa nitidula, 

 Thorns.). Shining black with the elytra and sometimes the thorax 

 pitch-brown; head narroAver than thorax, diffusely punctured ; antennse 

 fuscous, paler at base, slightly thickened towards apex, joints 2-3 

 elongate, 4-5 shghtly oblong, 6-10 feebly transverse, eleventh twice as long 

 as tenth; thorax only slightly narrower than elytra, somewhat transverse, 

 finely and sparingly punctured, with an impression in front of scutellum, 

 but not channelled ; elytra plainly longer than thorax, but more closely 

 punctured ; hind body shining black, basal segments distinctly but 

 diffusely punctured; apical segments almost impunctate; legs testaceous, 

 sometimes more or less pitchy. L. 3|-4 mm. 



Male with seventh segment sparingly granulate, apical margin truncate 

 and obsoletely crenulate. 



South of England, rare ; occasionally in the nests oi Formica fuliginosa ; also in 

 dead birds, &c.; Scotland, Braemar, Arran, Rmnocli, &c. Ireland, co. Down 

 (Champion). 



K. alpestris, Heer. (v. nitidiusnda, Sharp). Very closely allied to 

 the preceding, but rather lighter in colour, not quite so shining, and 

 narrower, with antennae rather thinner, thorax longer and narrower, 

 not transverse, and elytra very slightly if at all longer than thorax; 

 male characters as in the preceding species. L. 3i-3| mm. 



A mountain species; Scotland, local, Sol way, Dee, and Moray districts ; Ireland, on 

 Slieve Donard. 



H. oblong-iuscula. Sharp. Black, shining with trhe elytra fuscous 

 or ferruginous ; head much smaller than thorax, diffusely punctured ; 

 antennae black, stout, and distinctly thickened towards apex, joints 2-3 

 of about equal length, 4-10 differing very slightly in length, the first 

 ol)long, the last somewhat transverse, eleventh twice as long as tenth ; 

 thorax scarcely narrower tlian elytra, rather transverse, finely and 

 diffusely punctured, not channelled; elytra slightly longer than thorax, 

 thickly and finely punctured ; hind body black and shining sparingly 

 punctured, apical segments almost impunctate; legs testaceous, some- 

 times slightly infuscate. 3-3^ mm. 



Male with third joint of antennae stouter than in female, seventh segment 

 of hind body with hind margin obsoletely crenulate, and ventral plate 

 more produced. 



