QtiedillS.'] STAPHYLINIDiE. 237 



Q. fulig-inosus, (irav. (tri,sfis, Gyll. nee Grav., Er., Thorns,, &c.). 

 Entirely l)lack, sliiuiiig ; head larj^^e nearly as broad as thorax^ suborLi- 

 cular or short oval with several large punctures, arranged transversely, 

 between eyes ; antennre moderately long, ferruginous, with the first joint 

 sometimes lighter, penultimate joints not transverse ; thorax narrowed 

 in front, as broad or rather broader behind than elytra, with base and 

 l)ostftrior angles rounded, and with two series of three punctures in each 

 on front of centre of disc ; scutellum smooth and shining, impunctate ; 

 elytra hardly as long as thorax, finely, thickly, and asperately punctured^ 

 rather dull ; hind body long, somewhat parallel-sided, feebly narrowed 

 behind, rather finely and not quite as thickly jninctured as elytra ; legs 

 black, with the tarsi and knees reddish. L. 9-11 mm. 



Male with the seventh and sixth segments of the hind body stronfdy 

 and feebly sinuate in middle of apical margin respectively, with a smooth 

 triangular space before the sinuatiuns. 



_ At roots of grass, in moss, dead leaves, vegetable refuse, old faggots, &c. ; widely 

 distributed thrcMighout Eugland and Wales, but not so common iu the southern districts 

 and Midlands as the following species ; rarer further north ; Scotland, Lowlands, Solway 

 and Forth districts ; Ireland, near Armagh. 



Q. tristis, Grav. {frontalis, Er.). Extremely like the preceding, 

 but at once distinguished by having the scutellum distinctly punctured^; 

 the elytra, too, are slightly longer, and the hind body is more iridescent 

 and more closely punctured beliind : Mulsant and Eey's distinction, that 

 the forehead has six punctures transversely arranged between eyes (besides 

 the juxta-ocular punctures), instead of four as in Q. tristis, is not to be 

 depended upon, as soine specimens have three on one side and two only on 

 the other. L. 9-11 mm. 



In moss, dead leaves, refuse, &c. ; very common in the Midlands and southern 

 districts of England; apparently not found hitlierto in the northern counties of 

 England, and rare in Scotland (^Solway district)*; Ireland, Dublin, Armagh, Water- 

 ford, and probably common. ° 



Q. molochinus^ Grav. This species is closely allied to botli the 

 preceding, and does not need a separate description ; as a rule it is easily 

 distinguished by its reddish or reddish brown elytra, but apart from this 

 character it may be at once distingui-sh(>,(l from Q. fuliginosus by its 

 punctured scutellum, and from Q. tristis by its shorter elytra, rather 

 narrower form, and by having no punctures between the eyes except the 

 ordinary juxta-ocular punctures ; the elytra are very variable in colour, 

 being black, brownish, reddish brown, or sometimes even reddish testa- 

 ceous ; in the male the fifth and sometimes tlie fourth ventral segments 

 of hind body are furnished at apex with smooth sjoaces, as well as the 

 sixth and seventh, the latter two being more or less strongly emarginate. 

 L. 9-11 mm. 



* It is recorded in Murray's catalogue as " common " iu Scotland, but this appears 

 to be in error. 



