212 STAPHTLINID^. [Boh'fo/n'us. 



colour of the elytra must not be altogether relied on, as specimens of B. 

 trinotahis occur in which the scutellary patch is obsolete or wanting. L, 

 3|-4 mm. 



In fungi; local; Lonflon district', not uncommon; Hastings and other soutlievn 

 localities; Midland counties, generally distributed; Mancliesttr; Northunibeilaud 

 district; Scotland, scarce, Solway, Tweed, Forth, and Dee districts. 



3B, pygrmaeus, F. {distigma, Fairm., v. higuttatics, Steph.). "Very 

 like the preceding, but smaller, an<l distinguished from both it and B. 

 trinotatus by having the penultimate joints of the antennae transverse, 

 and by the dorsal series of elytra consisting of only 4-6 punctures ; the 

 colour is somewhat variable, the thorax being usually darker on disc^ and 

 the elytra having the scutellary region, and a larger or smaller patch at 

 apical-external angles black ; sometimes the scutellary patch is absent, 

 and sometimes specimens occur in which the elytra are chiefly black with 

 a small space on each side testaceous ; occasionally the upper surface is 

 entirely testaceous with the head and hind body darker ; the hind body- 

 is, as a rule, dark, with the apex of segments lighter. L. 2|^-3 mm. 



Male with the sixth ventral segment smooth in centre, seventh tulier- 

 culate on middle of base, and longitudinally impressed, with the 

 impression smooth. 



In fungi ; generally distributed and common throughout the kingdom. 



HIYCETOPOItUS, Mannerheim. 



The species belonging to this genus are easily distinguished from those 

 of the preceding genera by the small or very small last joint of the 

 maxillary palpi, which is much shorter and narrower than the penultimate, 

 and is slender and subulate ; the species vary very much in size ; for 

 instance, among the British species there are some ^Adlich in size and 

 general appearance resemble ordinary examples of Bryoporus, wliile others 

 are not larger than species of Tachyporus, from which, however, they 

 may be easily distinguished by their much narrower form, and more 

 strongly and evenly fusiform appearance ; there are at present about 

 fifty described species : these are almost entirely confined to the temperate 

 and colder regions' of the northern hemisphere, and to the Canaries and 

 other adjacent Atlantic islands ; one species, however, has been described 

 from the East Indies, and one from Central America ; the latter is found 

 at a height of from 4000 to 6000 feet ; it is worthy of notice, m passing, 

 that many of the species of the northern genera of Tachyporince which 

 are found in Central America occur at very high altitudes ; at one time 

 they were probably spread over the whole district, but, as the climate 

 altered, representatives of the genera that were forced to retreat before 

 the heat sought higher and cooler localities, and have there perpetuated 

 themselves down to the present time. 



It seems very probable that the sub-genus Jsrlninmma, Thoms. (con- 

 taining M. spjeiuliiluii and r. Jimyirvrnis), will liave eventually to be 



