Aufalia.] staphylinid^. 151 



II. Upper snrfiicc cntiroly black. 



1. i'horax less evidently puuctured, with central furrow 



more or less distinct tbroiii;hont A. RIVULAKIS, Grav. 



2. Thorax more evidently punctured, with central furrow 



only perceptible anteriorly A. puncticollis. Sharp. 



A. impressa, 01. Pitcliy-ved with the head and apical portion of 

 liiud body black, extreme apex testaceous ; head large, a little broader 

 than thorax^ antennte moderately long, fuscous or dark red with three or 

 four basal joints lighter^ evidently thickened towards apex^ joints 5-10 

 transverse ; thorax about as long as broad but suddenly narrowed to a 

 point in front, ]nuch narrower at base than elytra, obsoletely pinictured, 

 with a more or less obsolete central furrow (sometimes wanting) and 

 three furrows or impressions on each side of this ; elytra broad and con- 

 vex, broader than thorax, strongly furrowed at base, very obsoletely 

 punctured, almost smooth ; hind b(xly much narrower than elytra, 

 enlarged behind, almost smooth ; legs testaceous or reddish testaceous. 

 L. 2 mm. 



In decaying funn:i ; generally distributed and common throughout the kingdom, 

 especially in autumn. 



A. rivularis, Grav. Closely allied to the preceding in form, but 

 smaller, of a uniform black colour, with the antenna3 somewhat less 

 thickened towards apex, and the thorax with more pronounced central 

 furrow and otherwise somewhat differently sculptured; the elytra are 

 proportionately a little longer, and the hind body is more parallel sided 

 and less widened behind ; the pubescence of the front parts is a little 

 longer and more scanty ; the legs are lighter or darker pitchy testaceous. 

 L. 1| mm. 



In moss, haystack refuse, dung, Sec, and frequently by evening sweeping ; not as 

 abundant as the preceding, but common and gener;illy distributed in England ; 

 Scotland, common, Tweed, Solway, Forth, and Clyde districts ; Ireland, near Belfast 

 and Dublin, and probably common. 



A. puncticollis^ Sharp. Very like the preceding both in form and 

 colour, but as a rule larger ; in the point of size, however, it varies very 

 considerably ; it may be easily distinguished by the more evidently 

 punctured thorax, the central furrow on which is only perceptible in 

 front ; the lateral fovese, also, are not deeply impressed, and those at the 

 base of the elytra are shorter ; the pubescence is more evident and 

 thicker, and the apex of the hind body is concolorous. L. l|-2 mm. 



A northern species : "Northumberland district, two specimens taken on the Cheviot 

 Hills by Mr. James Hardy in July" (Bold). Scotland, common in sheep-dung in 

 the Highlands, Solway, Clyde, Forth, Tay, Dee, Moray, and Orkney districts : it has 

 also occurred in Sweden, Norway, and Iceland. 



ENCEPKAXiUS, Westwood. 

 This very peculiar genus contains only two or three species, winch are 



