416 STAPHYLiNiD^. \_IIomalium. 



and sometimes not to differ materially in colour from light examples of 

 H. ccesum ; as regards structural distinctions, it is broader than this 

 latter species, with the elytra shorter, and the sides of the thorax less 

 rounded; these differences, however, appear to be exceedingly slight. 

 L. 2| mm. 



Found under tlie same circumstances as the preceding; very local ; London district, 

 not uncommon ; Daienth Wood, Strood. Faversham, Shirley, Richmond Park, Reigate, 

 Mickleham, Birdbrook, Cowley (in refuse hay iu cow-shed (Power)) ; Littlington 

 (Sussex) ; Scotland, iu vegetable refuse, rare, Forth district. 



Section II. (Phloeonomus, Heer.) 



This section contains two minute insects, which live under bark, and 

 are so extremely closely allied that it is somewhat doubtful whether they 

 ought to be regarded as separate species ; they certainly appear to differ 

 in habitat, one being found under bark of fir trees, and the other under 

 bark of beech, birch, &c., but it has hardly been proved conclusively that 

 this is invariably the case. 



I. Punctuation of elytra scarcely visible ; antennas yellow 



with apical joints brownish H. PUSILLUM, Grav, 



II. Punctuation of elytra evident ; antennffi entirely 



yellow H. PTJNCTIPENNE, Thoms. 



IZ. pusillum, Grav. (ahietinum, Thorns.). Depressed, parallel-sided, 

 head black, hind body blackish-brown, thorax and elytra dull brownish- 

 red ; sometimes the whole upper surface, except the head, is reddish ; 

 head very closelj' punctured, except in front where it is smooth and 

 shining ; antennse yellow, brownish at apex, rather short, with penulti- 

 mate joints strongly transverse ; thorax not much narrower than elytra, 

 very transverse, slightly rounded in front and narrowed behind, posterior 

 angles right angles, with dorsal fovese plain ; elytra about double as long 

 as thorax very delicately alutaceous, and scarcely visibly punctured ; 

 hind body very finely shagreen ed ; legs testaceous. L. l|-lf mm. 



Under bark of fir ; common and generally distributed throughout England ; Scot- 

 land, common, Solway, Tay, and probably other districts. 



K. punctipenne, Thoms. Almost exactly resembling the preced- 

 ing, from which it was separated by Thomson, but rather more shining 

 in appearance, with the antennse quite yellow, more thickened at apex, 

 and with the third joint somewhat shorter; the anterior angles of the 

 thorax are somewhat more rounded, and the dorsal fovese are larger and 

 deeper ; the chief character, however, lies in the elytra which are deli- 

 cately alutaceous as in the preceding species, but besides this are very 

 finely and diffusely, but somewhat distinctly punctured if viewed under 

 a high magnifying power. L. If-lf mm. 



Under bark of birch and beech, and perh:ips of other deciduous trees (Tiiomson's 

 "loftrad"); apparently as common and widely distributed as the preceding both iu 

 England and Scotland, but often confused and mixed with it in our collections. 



