Hi/poci/ptus.] STArnyiJxiD.E. 187 



apparently to this species that it can hanlly be separateil ; it appears, 

 according to his description (I.e. p. 284), to differ hi having the posterior 

 angles rounded, the anterior tarsi of mafe simple, and the segment of 

 ariuature in male lanceolate, whereas in //. ovulum (= nu/ripes) the 

 posterior angles are marked or scarcely rounded, the anterior tarsi of 

 male are slightly dilated, and the segment of armature in male is rounded 

 behind ; according to Mulsant and Key, however ( Brevipennes, Tachy- 

 poriens, p. 13), H Imic/'/e)- has the posterior angles of thorax almost right 

 angles, and in this point ditl'ers from II. ovulum, in which they are 

 rounded or almost rounded. In Dr. Sharp's collection there is a specimen 

 from Duddingstone Loch, Scotland, which has been named by Pandelle 

 as a. lancifer; this is decidedly larger and darker than ordinary 

 specimens of H. ovulum ; the antennte and legs are dark pitchy black, 

 and the antennae are longer; the posterior angles of tliorax in this 

 specimen are quite rounded off ; it also appears to present Mulsant and 

 Key's rather important character of having the sixth and seventh joints 

 of the anti-nnse somewhat oblong instead of subglobose as in H. ovulum ; 

 as, however, these writers contradict M. Pandelle as regards tlie shape of 

 the posterior angles of the thorax, and as there seems to be considerable 

 confusion at present attaching to the species, it appears to be the best 

 course, at all events for the present, to regard H. lancifer as at most a 

 variety of H. ovulum, especially as Dr. Sharp's specimen is considerably 

 larger than any specimen of H. ovulum I have seen, whereas M. 

 Pandelle gives the same lengths for the two species. In the catalogue 

 of Heyden, Keitter, and Weise H. lancifer is not mentioned even as a 

 synonym. 



H. seminulum, Er. {pnlicarivs, Er., anisofomoides 1 W. C). A 

 very small, subglobose, species, shining pitch-black with the sides of 

 thorax more or less narrowly testaceous, clothed with very fine and 

 rather close ashy pubescence ; antennte reaching to about the middle of the 

 elytra, entirely yellow testaceous, with a rather sharply defined club ; 

 thorax very short, almost smooth, or scarcely punctured, posterior angles 

 scarcely rounded, or even almost right angles ; elytra strongly transverse 

 about a third longer than thorax ; hind body very finely and sparinoly 

 punctured, with apex ligditer ; legs testaceous, with the four posterior 

 femora often dark. L. vix f mm. 



Male with the sixth and seventh segments of hind body projectino-, 

 seventh ventral segment emarginate at apex, eighth visible ; first joint of 

 anterior tarsi rather strongly dilated. 



In rotten wood, fungi, by sweeping under fir trees, &c.; rare; Croydon, Hanip- 

 stead ; Scotland, Kccles near Tliornhill, Dumfries and Brmtn.-ir; I have seen speci- 

 mens from tliese localities which appear to belong to this species: other localities re- 

 corded are Esher, Woking, Strood, Folkestone, Salford Priors, Colesliill, and Cannock 

 Chase ; probalily several of tliese records must be referred to IJ.pnnctum, which, alter 

 all, is very likely nothing but a light variety of H. seminulum. 



P" punctum, Mots, {seminulum, Er., var. 1). The smallest species 



