Tachi/porus.'] STAriiYLiNiDj:. 197 



as broad as tlie base of the elytra, and not slightly broader as in 

 T. In/pnorum and other species, and the apical and basal mai'gins of 

 elytra are of equal width, or, if anything, the former is the widest; the 

 hind body is less strongly narrowed to apex; legs testaceous, coxaj more 

 or less dark. L. 2| mm. 



In moss, cut grass, dead leaves, &c., especially in marsby places; not uncommon 

 and generally distributed throughout the kingdom. 



T. brunneus, F. A small, narrow, and depressed species, of a red- 

 dish colour, Avith the head, disc of thorax, breast, and base of segments 

 of hind body pitch-black, and the scutellary region and sides of elytra 

 dusky; head and thorax smooth; antennae about as long as head and 

 thorax united, reddish with base lighter, slightly thickened towards 

 apex, with the two penultimate joints as broad as long or slightly trans- 

 verse; thorax transverse, narrowed in front; elytra longer than thorax, 

 finely, rather thickly, and somewhat rugosely punctured; hind body 

 finely and rather thickly punctured, a little more sparingly behind; 

 legs testaceous. L. 2| mm. 



In haystack refuse, hotbeds, moss, &c. ; common and generally distributed through- 

 out the kingdom. 



The small size, depressed form, and obscurely reddish appearance of 

 this species will at once separate it from all the others. 



T. transversalis, Grav. A very distinct species; black, or bluish- 

 black, shining, Avith the mouth, thorax, except anterior portion, and 

 apical third or quarter of elytra testaceous; the apical margins of seg- 

 ments of hind body are also obscurely reddish; head and thorax smooth 

 or almost smooth; anteniise dusky with base pale; elytra a little longer 

 than thorax, very finely and rather thickly punctured ; hind body very 

 finely and somewhat thickly punctured, punctuation obsolete on the 

 posterior portion of each segment ; legs reddish testaceous. L. 2|-3 

 mm. 



In marshy places in moss — often in heathy districts in Sphagnum ; also at roots of 

 grass; local, but abundant where it occurs; Wimbledon, Chobhani, Keigate, Merton 

 (Surrey); Shirley Warren, Southamptcn; New Forest; Coleshill and Sutton Park, 

 Birmingham; Chat Moss; Scarborough; Northumberland district, rare; Scotland, 

 very local, Solway and Tay districts; Ireland, recorded from Armagh. 



ZiABIPRINUS, Heer. 



This genus contains some four or five species peculiar to the European 

 fauna, which closely resemble Tachypoms, and by some authors are 

 included under that genus; they ajipear, however, distinct by reason of 

 their more robust form, shorter and strongly thickened antennae, and by 

 the stout and more or less compressed posterior tibiae and tarsi. 



Ill sag-inatus, Grav. Head black, thorax and elytra testaceous- 



