Lesteva.] STAPnTLiNiD^E. 40 



o 



interstices of the punctures, especially behind, wider and more shining ; 

 the thorax is evidently longer than broad, and is more suddenly narrowed 

 behind middle, with an evident lateral impression at the point of con- 

 traction; the punctuation also is coarser and nut so close, and there are 

 more evident traces of dorsal impressions, and the elytra are longer : the 

 diderences given are mostly comparative and not very marked, and it 

 seems very probable that after all tlie species will have to be sunk as a 

 variety of the preceding. L. 3|-3| mm. 



In moss, &c., in damp places; Scotland, Lowlands, rare, Solway, Clyde, and Moray 

 districts. 



It is now considered that Duval's L. muscnrum was the real L. jmnc- 

 tata of Erichson and Heer, so the above alteration in nomenclature must 

 be adopted. 



ACISOTA, Stephens. 



This genus contains about a dozen species from the temperate and 

 northern portions of the Old and New Worlds ; there are three European 

 species, of which two are British ; they are among the least common of 

 our Staphylinidae ; they are distinguished by their elongate-oblong and 

 rather broad form, and cannot well be confounded with any other genus; 

 the male characters are as in the preceding genus. 



I. Thorax convex, even ; colour pitchy ; size larger. 



ir. Thorax with disc rather flat and more or less obsoletely impressed 5 colour reddish 

 testaceous ; size smaller. 



A. crenata, F. (rufa, Grav., pulchra, Mots.). Elongate-oblong, 

 ratlier broad, subparallel, somewhat convex, glabrous, dark pitchy, or 

 chestnut-brown, with the margins of thorax, elytra (at least towards apex), 

 and tlie apical margins of the segments of hind body reddish; head small, 

 thickly and deeply punctured ; antennae ratlier long and stout, reddish 

 testaceous, penultimate joints about as long as broad; thorax about as long 

 as broad, with sides rounded and narrowed in front and behind, posterior 

 angles blunt, broadest behind middle, ratlier strongly margined, disc con- 

 vex and even, thickly and deeply punctured ; elytra much longer than 

 thorax strongly punctured in evident and more or less regular striae; hind 

 body thickly and deeply punctured; legs red. L. Q-G^ mm. 



In moss, &c. ; occasionally taken on the wing ; rare ; Keigate, in sphagnum ; 

 Tonhridge ; Oxfordshire; Branksome Park, Bournemouth, one specimen on the wing 

 (Kemp- Welch) ; Snowdon ; Yorkshire ; Stalybrushes, Cheshire, in ants' nesrs and 

 under stones (Chappell) ; Northumberland district rare, woods near Ravensworth 

 Castle (Hardy) ; Scotland, Lowlands, Highland and alpine districts, local, Solway, 

 Tweed, Forth, Tay, Dee, Moray, and Caithness districts. 



A. cruentata, Mannh. Much smaller than the preceding, and 

 easily distinguished by its entirely rufo-testaceous colour and somewhat 

 flattened and impressed disc of thorax ; the antenna? are evidently shorter 

 and stouter with the joints less elongate, and the thorax is differently 



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