194 STAPHYLINIDiE. [Tcirlujpon^-. 



A. First joint of anterior tarsi as long as, or longer 



than, second. 



a. Elytra reddish testaceous with sides and 



scutellary region darker ; size larger . . . . T. CHJiTSOMKilKUS, i. 



b. Elytra red or red-brown with scutellary region, 



base, and sides obscurely darker ; size smaller . T. HrMEKOBUS, Er. 



B. First joint of anterior tarsi plainly shorter than 



second ; thorax and elytra reddish testaceous 

 with disc of thorax often, and scutellary region 

 and sides of elytra always, plainly darker . . T . teksus, JE^r. 

 ii. Thorax black or pitchy black with the sides more or 

 less broadly testaceous. 



1. Form broader and more convex; cplonr of thorax 



and elytra darker; elytra less distinctly sculptured. 



A. Elytra a little broader in front than behind, 



bright red with scutellary region and sides 



black ; size larger T. htpxorum, F. 



B, Elytra at least as broad behind as in front, 



sometimes a little broader, dusky red or 



reddish brown on disc ; size smaller . . . . T. PUSILLUS, Grav 



2. Form narrower and more depressed ; colour of 



thorax and hind body lighter ; elytra more dis- 

 tinctly sculptured ; size small T. brttniVetts, L. 



iii. Thorax reddish testaceous with the anterior portion 



dark ; elytra dark with apical portion sharply 



testaceous T. tbansveesalis, Orav. 



T. obtusus, L. Testaceous, or reddish testaceous, sliining, with 

 the breast, basal half of elj'tra, and sixth and seventh segments of hind 

 body black ; head smooth ; antennte long, slightly thickened towards 

 apex, testaceous or ferruginous with the four basal joints lighter, penulti- 

 mate joints longer than broad ; thorax smooth, strongly narrowed in front, 

 with posterior angles blunt and rounded (as in all the other species) ; 

 elytra quite a third longer than thorax, finely and rather thickly punc- 

 tured ; hind body finely and thickly punctured at the base of each 

 segment, and strongly setose especially at apex and sides ; the lateral 

 and apical seta3, Avhich are thicker on the hinder parts of the body than 

 on the front parts, are common to all the species; legs testaceous. L. 

 3-3| mm. 



In moss, haystack refuse, dead leaves, &c. ; abundant throughout the kingdom. 



V. nitidicolHs, Steph. In this variety tlie head, disc of thorax, 

 and basal part of hind body are more or less piceous, or rufo-piceous, and 

 the black colour covers the greater portion of the elytra, only a small 

 portion at apex being light ; its general appearance is therefore much 

 darker, and very different from that of the type : very common in many 

 parts of Ireland (Armagh, Gal way, Westport, Waterford, &c.); Scotland, 

 Tweed and Forth districts ; England and Wales, not common ; recorded 

 by Stephens from the London district, and it is said to have occurred in 

 Sherwood Forest ; Mr. Hornei- has recently taken it at Tonbridge. 



T. formosus, Matth. (rufi/s, Er.). This species resembles the pre 



