PJlilonthuS.'] STAPHTLINIDiE. 271 



north of England ; it has occurred at the Holt, near Farnham, Reigate, 

 near Colchester^ and in a few other localities. 



A variety also occurs Avith the legs testaceous (P. ocliropus, Grav.). 



P. corvinus, Er, Very like the preceding, but easily distinguished 

 by the deep black elytra, and the thicker and finer punctuation of tho 

 hind body ; the head is slightly longer, and the thorax a little shorter ; 

 the elytra are rather more closely punctured ; the antennse and legs are 

 black, the anterior tibiae are rather strongly spinose on their exterior 

 margin, and the anterior tarsi are strongly dilated in male^ slightly in 

 female. L. 7 mm. 



In dead leaves, decaying fungi, &c. ; rare; Mickleham and Merton, Surrey; 

 Liverpool, West Derby; Scotland, Lowlands, in marshes, rare, Sohvay, Forth, and 

 Moray districts. 



P. fumigratus, Er. {immiindns, Gyll., gagates, Muls. et Rey). 

 Shining black, sometimes a little pitchy, with the antenna? black or 

 pitchy-black, and the mouth, tibiaa, and tarsi pitchy-red ; it much 

 resembles the preceding species, but the legs are lighter, the elytra are 

 rather less closely punctured, and the hind body is evidently more 

 closely and thickly punctured ; from P. ebeninits it differs by its some- 

 what more closely punctured elytra, and much more thickly and finely 

 punctured hind body ; the elytra also are quite black, pitchy-black, or 

 very slightly metallic, whereas in P. ebeninus they are distinctly greenish- 

 bronze ; the fact that the anterior tibiae are without spines on their 

 exterior margin will at once distinguish it from both species ; the 

 anterior tarsi are very strongly dilated in male, especially the first tAvo 

 joints, and moderately strongly dilated in female \ in the male the 

 seventh ventral segment of hind body is strongly and sharply excised, 

 wdth the excision furnished at the sides with a narrow membranous 

 border, and the sixth segment is slightly emarginate. L. 6|-7 mm. 



Wet places ; in moss, at roots of grass, and occasionally in damp haystack refuse ; 

 local and as a rule rather rare, but in some localities it occurs rather numerously ; 

 Hampstead, Chatham, Sevenoaks, Darenth, Lee, Wimbledon, Caterham, Croydon, 

 Dageuham, Tonbridge, &c. ; Littlington, Sussex ; Manchester ; Liverpool, West 

 Derby ; Northumberland district, banks of streams, common ; Scotland, local, Low- 

 lauds and sea-coast, Sohvay, Tay, and Clyde districts. 



P. debilis, Grav. A small species ; shining black with the elytra 

 often less dark ; head about as broad as thorax in male, narrower in 

 female, antenme dark, with the first joint pitch-brown or pitchy red, 

 penultimate joints transverse ; thorax slightly narrower than elytra, with 

 sides almost straight ; elytra scarcely longer than thorax, rather finely, 

 thickly, and someAvhat asperately punctured ; hind body finely and 

 closely punctured, seventh segment much less closely punctured ] legs 

 pitchy red, or reddish testaceous, with the tarsi lighter and the posterior 

 coxse dusky ; anterior tarsi strongly dilated in male, moderately in 

 female ; in slightly immature specimens, which often occur, the elytra 



