Ilomahta,'] stai'Hvmnid^. 12,3 



18. Very sniiill si)ecies (1^-2 uiin.); iii ml body only u little iiiirrowed towards apex, 

 closely punctured; thorax but little narrowed in front (p. 123). 



19. Small species (2-2§ nun.); hind body slijjhtly or moderately narrowed towards 

 apex; thorax scarcely or moderately narrowed towards the front; hind body with 

 apical segments spnriii>,4y punctured or impunctate (p. 126). 



20. Moderately-sized species (3-3^ mm.); hind body and tlmrax shaped as in the 

 preceding; apical segments of hind body impunc'ate or punctured * (p. 130). 



21. Huid body strongly iioiuted aud thickly punctured, thorax strongly narrowed 

 towards the front (p. 133). 



22. Hind body distinctly narrowed towards the apex, thfrnx distinctly narrowed in 

 front, apical segments of the abdomen sparingly punctured or impunctate (p. 137). 



Group 18. 



The species of this group are all very small, none exceeding 2 mm. in 

 length, and the majority being even smaller; they occur in vegetable 

 refuse, dead leaves^ decaying fungi, dung, &c. ; the male characters are 

 rather obscure, especially in some of the species. //. niyra is very 

 common and abundant, but all the others are more or less rare ; very 

 probably, however, some of them at least are overlooked. In the last 

 European catalogue (Heyden-Reitter-Weise) H. gennana, Sliarp, is 

 given as synonymous with H. celata, Er., and H. hodierna, Sharp, is 

 included under //. zoderce, Thoms. = II. nigra, Kr. ; there appears to be 

 considerable confusion with regard to- the synonymy of H. nigra, Kr., 

 H. celata, Er., and H. celata, Thoms. nee Er., which has not yet' been 

 satisfactorily cleared up. II. germana is more cloS(4y allied to //. nigra 

 as we generally consider the species than to //. celata, Er., as described 

 by Sharp ; Thomson, however, considers that Erichson's description of 

 H. celata probably refers to H. nigra, Kraatz, and Dr. Sharp thinks he 

 is very likely right ; the confusion appears to be so great tliat it seems 

 better to retain the six species, especially as Dr. Sliarp retains them 

 all as separate in tlie last edition of his British catalogue. 



K. nigra, Kr. {Microdota (Datotaicra) nigra, Muls. et Key, Atheta 

 celata, Thoms., zosterce, Thoms. = vicina, Kr.). jS'^arrow and linear, rather 

 shining, entirely black (the elytra sometimes lighter in immature speci- 

 mens), clothed with thick pubescence which gives it a grey appearance 

 closely and finely punctured; head narrower than thorax, sometimes 

 indistinctly impressed or channelled ; antennae black or pitchy, a little 

 thickened towards apex, first joint stout, second longer than third, fourth 

 abnut as long as broad, 5-10 each a little broader than the preceding, 

 but none strongly transverse, eleventh as long as the two preceding 

 together; thorax about a tliird broader than long,. nearly as broad as 

 elytra, with an impression in middle of base, and sometimes more or less 



* H. longicornis has the apical segineuts finely and evenly punctured ; in tlie other 

 species they are sparingly punctured or impunctate. 



E. atramentaria has an average size of nearly 3 mm., but varies from 2^-3^ mm. ; 

 in some ways its more natural position is in the preceding group. 



