1-10 BTAPUYLiNiDiE. [Horitalola. 



? orbata, Er. 1). Black, rather shining, with the elytra black, some- 

 times very obscurely pitchy, apex of hind body more or less obscurely 

 yellowish ; head small, finely and indistinctly punctured ; antennae testa- 

 ceous, rather long and slender and hardly at all thickened towards apex, 

 joints 2-3 rather long, of about equal length, fourth not so long as fifth, 

 5-10 differing but slightly in either length or breadth ; in the type none of 

 the joints are transverse ; eleventh joint acuminate, as long as the two 

 preceding together ; thorax almost broader than elytra, half as broad 

 again as long, convex, narrowed in front, finely but not closely punc- 

 tured, with or without central channel ; elytra slightly longer than 

 thorax, closely and distinctly, but shallowly punctvrred ; hind body 

 shining black, segments 2-4 distinctly and rather closely punctured, 

 fifth more sparingly, sixth sparingly, punctured ; sides and apex with 

 numerous outstanding setae ; legs yellow, posterior tibiae without setae. 

 L. 2| mm. 



Sexual differences obscure ; male Avith apex of ventral plate of 

 seventh segment of hind body narrower and more produced than in 

 female. 



In haystack refuse, moss, dead leaves, fungi, &c. ; abuudaufc throughout the kiug- 

 dom ; tiie bLick shining colour and yellow legs and antennae will at once superficially 

 distinguish this our commonest species of the genus. 



V. duhia, Sharp. This variety has the antennae a little shorter and 

 slightly thickened towards the apex, Avith the penultimate joint slightly 

 transverse, and the last joint a little stouter and less pointed ; the 

 thorax also is somewhat shorter, and the elytra, therefore, a little 

 longer in proportion. 



Found in company with, and more abundantly than, the type form. 



V. dientula, Er. (Homalofa dientula, Er.). Smaller than the type 

 form, not so broad in the middle, with the antennae in proportion to 

 the size somcAvhat stouter with penultimate joints more transverse ; 

 the colour is brighter, the elytra being yellowish or brownish, and the 

 thorax often fuscous ; the sides of the thorax are lighter coloured than 

 the disc ; the apex of hind body is more broadly testaceous, and the 

 apex of the segments is often light- coloured ; the punctuation of the 

 thorax and elytra, also, is somewhat closer and finer. L. 2 mm. 



Kot so common as the type form, but it cannot be called uncommon, 

 and is quite as widely distributed ; it is found in the same situations, 

 and in company with it. 



It seems rather doubtful wdiether this ought to be considered a dis- 

 tinct species or not ; the var. duhia seems to form the connecting link 

 between it and the type form. 



H. orpliana, Er. {navicida, Muls. ct Eey, Acrotona orphana. 

 Thorns., Colpodota orphana, ]\Iuls. et Key). Black, rather shining, with 

 the elytra fuscous, or fuscous-black, and the apex of hind Iwdy more or 



