294 STAPHYLiNiD^. \_Leptannus. 



also is less thickly punctured qn the sides ; in somewhat immature 

 specimens the elytra are almost entirely testaceous, and the tliorax is 

 reddish broAvn. L. 3 mm. 



In nests oi Formica riifa; local, but not nnromnion ; Plumstead, Cliatham, Erith, 

 Esher, Dulwieli, Marpate, Tilgate Forest; Hastings ; Parkhurst Forest, Isle of 

 Wight; Lhingollen ; Tumworth ; Bewdley ; Euddou Wood, Leicestershire; York; 

 Keswick ; S<;otlaud, Tay and Moray districts. 



BAPTOXiINITS^ Kraatz. 



This genua comprises some half-dozen species which are widely dis- 

 tributed ; together Avith Othius they form a group which is easily 

 distinguished from the other genera of Xantholininae above described 

 by having the suture of the elytra simple ; in the other genera the elytra 

 are imbricate, that is, they overlap one another at the suture ; the species 

 live under bark or in wet decaying wood. 



M. alternans, Grav. {(iffinis, Payk.). Eright reddish testaceous 

 with the head, the elytra, except shoulders, and the greater part of the 

 fifth and sixth segments of hind body, black ; head somewhat orbicular a 

 little broader, or about as broad as^ thorax ; smooth, with a few large 

 punctures, antennce short and rather stout, entirely red, penultimate 

 joints strongly transverse ; thorax oblong, almost parallel-sided, with two 

 rather large punctures on disc ; elytra as long as thorax, scarcely punc- 

 tured, with sutural stria well marked ; hind body almost smooth on 

 disc, sparingly punctured towards sides ; legs reddish testaceous. 

 L. 6-G| mm. 



Under loose bark and in rotten wood of various trees ; rather common and widely 

 distributed throughout the country ; not recorded from Ireland, but is probably 

 common in many localities. 



OTKZVS, Stephens. 



This genus contains at present about thirty species which are widely 

 distributed, representatives occurring in Chili, Japan, Morocco, the 

 Australian region, &c. ; there are four British species, of which tlie first 

 is, owing to its size, very different in appearance from the other three ; 

 the two last are very closely allied and are sometimes hard to 

 distinguish. 



I, Third joint of antenna? distinctly longer than 



second ; length 9-11 mm 0. FULVIPENNIS, F. 



II. Third joint of antenuEe not, or scarcely, longer 



than second ; length 4^-5 mm. 

 i. Elytra longer than thorax ; upper surface 



shining black or pitch-black 0. L^VIUSCULUS, Steph. 



ii. Elytra shorter than thorax. 



1. Head narrower than tliorax; thorax reddish 



testaceous O. melanocephaluS, Grav. 



2. Head as broad as thorax ; thorax brownish . 0. myemecopuilus, Kies. 



