418 STAPHTLiNiD^. \_IIoviaUum. 



2. Length 3 mm. ; antennae longer, dark with first 



five joints red ; thorax more narrowed in front. H. KlvJBUM, Grav. 

 ii. Antennte entirely ferruginous with base lighter ; 

 punctuation of el^-tra evidently stronger and 



coarser; size larger H. SAIICIS, Gt/ll. 



II, Forehead without impressions before ocelli*; size 

 very small (2-2i mm.). 

 i. Elytra variable in colour, pitchy testaceous or black ; 

 thorax dark. 



A. Punctuation stronger aud coarser not distinctly 



strigose. 



a. Antennae very short and stout ; size larger, 



colour darker H. BBEVICOENE, En 



b, Antennse much longer ; size smaller, colour 



lighter H. gracilicokne, Fairm, 



B. Punctuation feebler, distinctly strigose . . . H. tile, Er. 

 ii. Elytra entirely or more or less testaceous ; thorax 



red. 



A. Punctuation of elytra feebler ; size smaller ; 



thorax less convex with dorsal foveas plainly 



traceable H. TILE, v. Heerii, Seer. 



B. Punctuation of elytra stronger ; size larger ; 



thorax very convex, with dorsal fovete wanting. H. ioptebuji, Stcph. 



K. rufipes, Fourc. {Jforale, Payk., nificorne, Stepli., macuUconie, 

 Heer). Black, rather shining, exceedingly iinely pubescent ; head with 

 distinct but small impressions before ocelli, rather sparingly punctured 

 behind, smooth and shining in front ; antennre pitchy black, more or 

 less ferruginous towards apex, gradually and slightly thickened, penul- 

 timate joints not strongly transverse; thorax rather narrower than elytra, 

 convex, with dorsal foveas very obsolete or absent, sides finely bordered, 

 rounded rather strongly in front, and slightly narrowed behind, rather 

 thickly and finely punctured, posterior angles somewhat blunt but dis- 

 tinct ; elytra not quite double as long as thorax, rather strongly and 

 thickly punctured in irregular rows ; hind body very finely punctured 

 or shagreened ; legs red, femora sometimes darker, L . 4 mm. 



In haystack refuse, &c. ; often found in flowers, and, rarely, in birds' nests or under 

 bark ; widely distributed and not uncommon in many parts of the country ; London 

 district, rather common; Miekleham, Caterham, Sheerness, Forest Hill, Shirley, 

 Whitstable, &c. ; Norfolk ; Sufl:blk ; Devonshire ; Somersetshire ; Swansea ; Midland 

 districts, rather common ; Chat Moss ; Sherwood Forest ; Scarborough ; Manchester ; 

 Liverpool; rarer further north ; Northumberland district, not common, on flowers of 

 UmbelVtfercB ; Scotland, iu flowers, rare, Solway, Tweed, and Tay districts. 



K. nigrum, Grav. {salwinum, Gyll., atrum, Heer). Very closely 

 allied to the preceding, of which it is considered by some authors to be 

 only a variety ; it is, however, rather smaller, and difi'ers in the following 

 particulars : the antennae are longer, with the first five joints red and the 

 remainder black ; the thorax is rather shorter and more narrowed in 

 front, with the sides more widely margined and the margins pitchy ; the 



* See p. 410, foot-note. 



