120 STAPHYLiNiDiE. [Humulota. 



them are extremely closely allied ; in fact by some continental authori- 

 ties H. indiscreta, Sharp, is now considered as synonymous with ?L sub- 

 tilts, Scriba, and H. atricolor, Sharp, with H. mortuorum, Thorns. ; the 

 former pair differ in certain points of size and punctuation, but are 

 certainly very hard to distinguish ; the latter, however, appear very dis- 

 tinct by reason of the relative difference of the length of the elytra and 

 different sculpture ; as regards the former point, however, some specimens 

 appear to differ somewhat from others. 



3S. sericea, Muls. (amicula, Steph., Microdota sericea, Muls. et 

 Key). Black with the elytra blackish or pitchy black, rather shining, 

 somewhat robust, with short, stout, more or less pitchy antennae ; head 

 rather large with sides straight behind eyes and then narrowed ; antennae 

 with two first joints lighter, thickened from third joint to apex, 

 second joint stout, thiixl shorter than second, 4-10 gradually stouter, 

 and more transverse, the latter being strongly transverse, eleventh stout 

 as long as the two preceding ; thorax neai-ly as broad as elytra, half as 

 broad again as long, about as wide in front as behind, sometimes with 

 an obscure chiinnel, sometinjes with an indistinct impression before 

 scutellum, sometimes without either, finely punctured ; elytra rather 

 short, slightly longer than thorax, finely and closely punctured and 

 pubescent ; hind body black, broader towards apex, segments 2-4 finely 

 and rather sparingly punctured, 5-6 nearly impunctate • legs dusky 

 testaceous. L. l|-2 mm. 



]\Iale with the apical margin of seventh segment of hind body rather 

 broadly and very feebly emarginate, the emargination sometimes being 

 exti'emely indistinctly crenulate, under plate of the same segment more 

 produced than in female. 



At bottoms of haystacks, in vegetable refuse, f uugi, &c. ; also at sap of felled trees ; 

 coininoii throughout the country. 



SI. subtilis, Scriba {Homalofa (Alaobia) suhtilis, Muls. et Eey). 

 Allied to the preceding ; it is, however, distinguished by 'its thicker punc- 

 tuation and pubescence, longer elytra, and more slender antennas, of which 

 joints 2-6 are evidently thinner ; the hind body is punctured much as 

 in H. sericea, but not quite so sparingly ; the male, apparently, has the 

 apex of the seventh segment of hind body indistinctly truncate and not 

 emarginate, but the sexual characters appear to be obscure and hardly 

 known : Mulsant and Rf^y remark that its form is less linear than that of 

 H. sericea, and that it is further distinguished by having the third joint of 

 tlie antennae not shorter than the second, but these characters, certainly 

 the latter of tliem, seem to be of little value. L. 1| mm. 



Rare; usually found singly; Scotland, Forth, Solwiiy, Tay, aud Dee districts; 

 Sherwood Forest (W. G. Blatch). 



K. indiscreta, Sharp. Closely allied to the preceding, but a 

 little more shining, witli the thorax foveolate at base, and the hind 

 >>ody differently punctured ; in H. sericea and H. suhtilis segments 2-4 



