270 STAPHTLINID^. \_Philon(hv8. 



from the shoulder ; anterior coxae testaceous, 



except on the outer surface P, TAEIAN3, PayJc. 



4. Elytra black, with extreme apex obscm-ely fer- 

 ruginous; anterior coxae entirely dark . . . P. AGILIS, Qrav. 

 II. First joint of posterior tarsi as long as or scarcely 

 longer than the last, evidently shorter thau the three 

 following united. 



i. Elytra shorter than thorax P. VEBNALis, Grav. 



ii. Elytra longer than or at least as long as thonix. 



A. Length exceeding 5 mm.; thorax at base as 



broad as or only a little less broad than long. 



a. Antennae rather short and a little thickened, 



with penultimate joints slightly trans, 

 verse ; head larger. 



a*. Anterior tarsi simple in both sexes ; elytra 

 unicolorous pitch-black or brownish ; an- 

 tennae dark with base testaceous ... P. ventealis, Grav. 



b*. Anterior tarsi strongly dilated in male ; 

 elytra dark, with the margins, suture, and 

 sometimes apical border testaceous ; an- 

 tennae reddish brown P. DISCOIDEUS, Grav. 



b. Antennae long, with penultimate joints 



plainly longer than broad ; head smaller, 

 somewhat ovate ; elytra unicolorous, black 

 bronze, or red with base darker .... P. QiriSQUlLlAEllTS, Gull, 



B. Length not exceeding 5 mm. ; thorax half as 



long again as broad. 



a. Elytra pitch-black or pitch-brown ; thorax 



pitch-black P. SPLENDIDULUS, Grav. 



b. Elytra obscurely testaceous J thorax pitchy- 



red P. THEKMAEUM, Auh6. 



P. ebeninus, Grav. Shining black, with the elytra dark greenish 

 bronze ; head subquadrate in male, orbicular' in female ; antennae some- 

 wliat long, black, with penultimate joints scarcely transverse ; thorax a 

 little narrower behind than elytra, Avith sides almost straight ; elytra 

 about as long as thorax, rather strongly, and somewhat asperately, punc- 

 tured ; hind body thickly punctured towards base, less thickly behind ; 

 legs black or pitch-black, with the tarsi often lighter, anterior tibise 

 strongly spinose on their exterior margin, anterior tarsi strongly dilated 

 in male, moderately in female. L. 6|-8 mm. 



Male with the seventh ventral segment of hind body deeply and sharply 

 excised, and furnished with a membranous border behind the excision. 



In haystack refuse, diing-heaps, &c. ; rather common and generally distributed 

 throughout the country ; it probably occurs in Ireland, but apparently has not yet 

 been taken there. 



V. corruscus, Grav. This variety has the elytra bright red, and is 

 somewhat larger and stouter than the average type-form ; the species, 

 however, is very variable in size, and in Dr. Power's collection there is 

 a very large specimen of the ordinary form measuring nearly 1 1 mm. in 

 length ; the variety is very rare, and is not found in Scotland or the 



