234 STAPHYLINIDiE. IQuedillS. 



tlieni be found a revision of the taLle above given will be necessary, as 

 they botlr of them have dark elytra ; Q. variabilis is common in France, 

 and ma}'^ perhaps be mixed in collections with Q. mesomelinus ; there 

 seem to be so many variations in the punctuation of the sides of the disc 

 of thorax, and so much confusion has arisen from its having been adopted 

 as always constant, whereas in certain cases it is plainly variable, in the 

 same form, that it would perhaps be the best plan to disregard it altogether, 

 in which case Q. variabilis and Q. mgrocoeruleus, if not distinct, might 

 be united with the Q. mesomelinus group instead of with the species 

 with red elytra ; it must, however, be admitted in conclusion that the 

 colour is not always dependable, for a specimen of Q. fiilgidus has been 

 recorded by Herr Fuss (v, Ent. Ann. 1869, 29) which has one elytron red 

 and the other dark. 



Q. cruentus, 01. Shining black with the elytra and apex of hind 

 body and also the margins of the segments reddish testaceous; head trans- 

 verse or suborbicular in male, oval in female; antennae somewhat thickened 

 towards apex, blackish brown with the three first joints red, penultimate 

 joints evidently transverse, last joint obliquely acuminate at apex ; thorax 

 narrowed in front and rounded behind ; scutellum smooth or almost 

 smooth, shining ; elytra about as long as thorax, rather diflusely punctured; 

 hind body narrowed from middle to apex rather thickly punctured in 

 front, more spnringly behind, black, with the apex of sixth and the 

 whole of the seventh segment brightly, and the intersections of the others 

 more or less obscurely, testaceous ; legs testaceous with the posterior coxae 

 Usually dark. L. 7-9 mm. 



Male with the seventh segment distinctly, and the sixth very feebly, 

 sinuate in middle of apical margin, the former with a small smooth space 

 before sinuation. 



Under bark and ia rotten wood of various trees; also in decaying straw and refuse, 

 among dead leaves, under stones, and sometimes by beating; local; London district, 

 rather common ; Hastings ; New Forest ; Gloucester ; Shrewsbury ; Birmingham 

 district; Tnmworth ; Repton ; York; Manchester district ; Northumberland district, 

 " Long Benton; very rare ; " it has not occurred in Scotland. 



A variety occurs in which the elytra are pitchy black with the suture 

 only lighter. 



Q. xanthopus, Er. Pitch-black or pitch-broAvn, shining, with the 

 apex of the hind body and the apical margin of segments more or less 

 distinctly testaceous or reddish testaceous ; head short oval, antennae 

 moderately long and slender, brownish or brownish red Avith the first 

 three or four joints lighter ; thorax suborbicular, not ur scarcely broader 

 than elytra, with the sides, as a rule, obscurely lighter ; scutellum smooth 

 and shining ; elytra a little longer than thorax, rather strongly furrowed 

 behind near suture, not thickly but somewhat strongly punctured ; hind 

 body rather more finely and thickly punctured than elytra, more sparingly 



