Phihnihus.] STAPnvi.ixiD.'E. 273 



reaclniig the apex, with no black space intervening, as is invariably the 

 rule in the ordinary f(jrin. 



P. long-icornis, Steph. {sci/halariits, North). Shining black ; head 

 ovate, rather small, antennae long and slender, with the penultimate 

 johits longer than broad, pitch-black with the under side of the lirst 

 joint very often testaceous ; it is, however, sometimes black or entirely tes- 

 taceous ; thorax about as broad behind as elytra, narrowed in front ; elytra 

 scarcely longer than thorax, distinctly, thickly, and asperately punctured ; 

 hind body finely and thickly punctured, with the seventh segment less 

 punctured and more shining ; legs pitch-black with the anterior coxse 

 entirely testaceous ; anterior tibite strongly spinose on their exterior 

 margin ; anterior tarsi strongly dilated in male, slightly dilated in female 

 L. 7-8 mm. 



IMale with the seventh segment of hind body plainly and angularly 

 sinuate with a long smooth triangular space before the sinuation. 



In moss, dung, haystack refuse, &c. ; not uncommon in the London district and 

 the south ; apparently less common in the Midlands and the noith ; Scotland, Solway 

 and Clyde districts. 



P. varians, Payk. Somewhat narrowed in front and behind, 

 shining black, with a more or less obscure reddish band or reflection 

 stretching obliquely from shoulder ; this is sometimes absent; head oval, 

 small ; antenn£E rather long with the penultimate joints not transverse, 

 black, with the insertion of the second joint often pitchy red ; thorax 

 narrowed in front ; elytra a little longer than thorax, finely, thickly, and 

 asperately punctured ; hind body finely and thickly punctured, a little 

 less closely towards apex ; legs pitch-black with the anterior coxaj tes- 

 taceous except outer margin, anterior tibiae spinose, more so in female 

 than in male, anterior tarsi strongly dilated (especially second joint) in 

 male, feebly dilated in female. L. 5|-6i mm. 



Male with the seventh ventral segment of hind body deeply and 

 sharply excised, with the sides of the excision narrowly bordered with 

 membrane. 



In dung, haystack refuse, moss, &c. ; often on the coast ; common and generally 

 distributed throughout the kingdom. 



The variety with quite black elytra may be distinguished from 

 P. longicornis by its narrower and less parallel form, more closely punc- 

 tured elytra, and dark outer edge of anterior coxte. 



P. ag-llis, Grav. Rather a narrow species, slightly fusiform, 

 shining black, with the apical border of the elytra very obscurely ferru- 

 ginous ; this, however, is often hardly perceptible, and sometimes there 

 is a reddish reflection on the disc of elytra ; as in P. varians the anterior 

 coxae are more or less testaceous beneath ; it comes exceedingly 

 close to this latter inflect, and might be taken for a rather small and 

 narrow variety of it ; it diflers, however, in several particulars, and may 



VOL. II. T 



