338 STAPHYLINIU^. [Steuus. 



and finely punctured, and has no trace of a keel at tlie base of the front 

 segments; legs black. L. 2| mm. 



Male with the head broader than in the female, and with the seventh 

 ventral segment of hind body broadly e marginate in a short angle at 

 apex. 



Damp places; rare, although occurring in some numbers where found ; Scotland, 

 Sohvay district, banks of Nitb, Tlioruhill, Dumfries; also taken in the Tay district; 

 it appears to be rare in France, and only to occur in warm damp valleys on the edge of 

 running streams. 



(S. Shepherdi, Crotch. A specimen of a Stenus found by Mr. 

 Edwin Shepherd at Hammersmith Marshes, and returned as distinct by 

 Dr. Kraatz, was named as above by Mr. Crotch (Proc. Ent. Soc, Nov. 

 19, 1866); it appears to be closely allied to S. melanarius, but is said 

 to be larger and more shining, with the palpi black, except the basal 

 joint, which is yellow ; from S. hupthalmus it differs by its sparingly 

 punctured hind body ; the middle keels of the segments of the hind body 

 appear to be strongly elevated (Ent. Ann., 1867, 49). Gemminger and 

 Von Harold in their catalogue refer this insect to the female of S. ru- 

 ralis, Er. {v. Muls. et Key, Brevipennes, Stenides, 1884, p. 100), but it 

 appears to differ in having the basal joint of the palpi yellow, although 

 it agrees with it in its sparingly punctured hind body.*) 



S. morio, Grav. {trivialis, Kr., ceqitaKs, Key), Of a somewhat 

 leaden black colour, but moderately shining, clothed with a fine and 

 short whitish pubescence ; head evidently narrower than thorax, gently 

 excavated and obsoletely furrowed between the eyes with the interval 

 between the furrows scarcely raised ; antenna black, palpi black with 

 first joint testaceous ; thorax nearly cylindrical with no channel or 

 depressions, longer than broad, thickly and deeply punctured ; elytra 

 evidently longer than thorax, disc without depressions, thickly and 

 deeply punctured ; hind body narrowed at apex (more so in male than 

 female), shining, rather finely and closely punctured ; legs black ; dis- 

 tinguished from aS'. melariarius by its broader head, concave forehead, 

 wider elytra, and more closely punctured hind body, and from S. cana- 

 liculaius by the absence of a dorsal channel on thorax. L. 3 mm. 



Male with the seventh ventral segment of hind body broadly and 

 angularly emarginate at apex, sixth broadly sinuate with a feeble punc- 

 tured depression before sinuation. 



In moss, &c., in damp places ; rare ; Highgate, two specimens in a watercourse 

 (E. W. Jansou) ; Rusper, near Horsham (Gorham) ; Tonbridge (Horner) ; Tewkes- 

 bury (Blatch) ; according to Mulsaut and Rey it is rather a common species through- 

 out France. 



* Since I wrote the above, Mr. Mason has informed me that he has had the specimen 

 alluded to figured, and that it is S. ruralis ; the character, however, of the colour of 

 the first joint of the palpi is a very important one, and it seems strange that Dr. 

 Ki-aatz did not recognize the insect. 



