404 STAPHYLINID.E. [Arid^ia. 



shaped, being subquadrate with the sides very slightly rounded, and 

 almost as broad in front as behind ; the elytra are strongly punctured in 

 more or less regular rows, but are not so plainly striate. L. 4|-5 mm. 



In moss, &c. ; about the bark of fir trees ; occasionally found in sandpits and crawl- 

 ing on walls; rare; Greenwich; Shirley; Birch Wood; Reigate ; Chiswiek ; Hast- 

 ings ; Harwich ; Stretford and Agecroft, near Manchester, on wnUs and in haystacks ; 

 Coleshill, near Birmingham ; Scarborough, flood refuse ; Northumberland district, 

 Hetton Hall near Belford ; Scotland, Lowlands, Solway, Tweed, and Forth districts. 



V. ferruginea, Er. Smaller and narrower than the type, with much 

 shorter elytra, of which the punctuation appears rather more confused ; 

 it seems to bear the same relation to A. cruentata that A. rufa, Grav., 

 bears to A. crenata. L. 4^-4^ mm. 



Scarborough (five specimens taken by R. Lawson in flood refuse in the autumn of 

 1872) ; Studley, Yorkshire (Waterhouse). 



OXiOPKHUI^, Erichson. 



This genus contains about twenty species, which are found in the 

 temperate and more particularly in the northern and colder regions of 

 the Old and New Worlds ; they are found in damp places, in moss, 

 dead leaves, &c. ; they are recognizable by their broad and convex form, 

 dark pitchy-red appearance, and long elytra which cover the greater 

 part of the hinder portion of the body, the hind body itself being short ; 

 there are three British species, one of which is common and the others 

 local or rare. 



I. Thorax with sides completely rounded, posterior angles 



rounded ; elytra shorter. 

 i. Form broader and more convex ; elytra confusedly 



punctured 0. piceum, Oyll. 



ii. Form narrower and more depressed ; elytra punctured 



in move or less distinct rows near suture O. FUSCUM, Grav, 



II. Thorax with sides slightly siuuate behind middle ; posterior 



angles somewhat prominent ; elytra longer O. consimile, Oyll. 



O. piceum, Gyll. Oblong, convex, with hind body conical and 

 strongly acuminate, dark pitchy-red, shining ; head small, coarsely 

 puncUired ; antennae moderately long, red or ferruginous, with base and 

 aiiex often lighter, penultimate joints not transverse ; thorax behind as 

 broad as elytra, about twice as broad as long, sides moderately rounded, 

 posterior angles rounded, strongly punctured, with a small smooth space 

 generally distinct in centre behind middle ; scutellum punctured or 

 almost impunctate ; elytra double as long as thorax, widened behind, 

 very coarsely and irregularly punctured ; hind body very finely sha- 

 greened, usually lighter at apex ; legs red. L. 4-5 mm. 



Tu moss, dead leaves, at the roots of grass, &c., in damp places in woods and other 

 localities ; common and generally distributed throughout the kingdom as far north as 

 the Shetland Islands. 



