Homalula.] STAPHTLiNiDiE. 139 



.there seems no reason to doubt tliut it is a good species ; I would here 

 remark that from the synonymy adopted by Heyden, Reitter, and Weise in 

 their catalogue, and the way in which they have there dealt with several 

 of Dr. Sharp's species, I feel certain that they have either not seen some 

 of them at all, or have seen wrongly named specimens : through the 

 kindness of Dr. Sharp, I have been enabled to examine all his actual 

 type specimens as I have worked the group, and I may say that I feel 

 sure that in several instances they would have modified their views, if 

 they had had these types before them. 



n. Sharpi, Rye. Black, shining, with the elytra chestnut-brown ; 

 head broad, but little narrower than the extreme width of thorax, black, 

 very shining, with somewhat indistinct and shalloAv, but large and Avide 

 punctures ; antennae entirely black, longer and more slender than in H. 

 miiscorum (which species it rather resembles), apical joint acuminate 

 and quite as long as the two preceding together ; thorax more than half 

 as broad again as long, convex, unchannelled, very finely punctured with 

 shallow punctures like those of head intersi^ersed ; elytra plainly longer 

 than thorax, chestnut-brown, darker at base, sides, and scutellum, rather 

 dull, closely yet coarsely punctured ; hind body black, shining, strongly 

 and widely punctured, especially tow^ards apex ; legs yelloAvish, slightly 

 infuscate ; the whole insect is clothed with short and rather depressed 

 yellowish pubescence, and has moderately long lateral dark setee. L. 

 l|-2 mm. 



One specimen from the London district taken by Mr. Rye and 

 described as above by him (Ent. Mo. Mag. vii. 7). 



H. orbata, Er. {Acrotona orhata, Thoms., Colpodota orhata, Muls. 

 et Rey ^ fungi $ , teste H. R. W.). Yery like H. fungi, but with darker 

 antennae, rather longer thorax^ which is also more delicately punctured 

 and pubescent, and with brownish elytra ; the difference in punctuation 

 and pubescence, however, is very slight ; according to Mulsant and Rey the 

 thorax is a little less strongly transverse than in H. fungi, more plainly 

 narrowed in front, with the anterior angles more obtuse and rounded ; 

 the elytra are generally more depressed ; the antennae also have the 

 fourth joint, as a rule, more oblong, and the penultimate joints very 

 slightly longer ; the sexual differences are obscure, and the same as in H. 

 fungi : considering that H. fungi is a very variable species, it seems most 

 probable that this is only one of its numerous varieties ; in fact in some 

 respects the vars. dubia and clientula have almost more right to be con- 

 sidered distinct. L. 2| mm. 



Sandy places on the coast, under vegetable refuse ; also inland ; rare ; Shirley, near 

 Croydon ; Esher ; Duhvich ; Dual ; Whitstable ; "Weymouth ; Eyde ; Barrucane Bay, 

 North Devon ; Wallasey, near Liverpool ; Northumberland district ; Scotland, sandy 

 places (? maritime). Forth and Tay districts; Ireland, Newcastle, co. Down 

 (Champion). 



U. fung"!! Grav. {Acrotona fungi, Thorns., Colpodota fungi. Thorns., 



