Orilwpcrus.'] clavicornia. 145 



O. atomarius, Heer. The smallest sj^ecies of tlie genus ; ovate, 

 rather convex, of a pale castancous or testaceous colour, with the sides 

 and apex of elytra sometimes rather darker ; sculpture distinct, although 

 delicate ; the colour and minute size will at once distinguish it from all 

 the other species. L. \ mm. 



Foimd abuudautly by Mr. Crotch at Devizes, and in small numbers by Professor 

 Allen Harker at Gloucester ; it occurs in cellars, and feeds ou the fungus Zismidium 

 cellare. Professor Harker tells me that he ouce dissected out the oesophagus of on« 

 of these insects, and that he found it full of chopped mycelium ; it is found iu company 

 with Atomaria nigripennis and certain species of Crt/ptophagus. 



CORVZiOPHUS, Stephens. 



Only two European species are contained in this genus, hoth of which 

 are found in Britain ; the species are distinguished from Ortlwperus hy 

 having the head concealed, and the thorax semicircular with apex 

 rounded, and from Sericoderus and Sac.ium by having the upper surface 

 glabrous ; authors differ with regard to the number of joints of the 

 antennae; some mention them as 10-jointed, others as 9-jointed ; as a 

 matter of fact, they appear to be really, if not apparently, 10-jointed. 



I. Colour darker ; punctuation of elytra distinct . . . C. oassidioides, iliarsA. 

 II. Colour lighter; punctuation of elytra scarcely visible , C. subl^vipennis, Duv. 



C. cassidioides, INIarsh. Short oval, moderately convex, more or 

 less uaiTOwed to apex, pitchy-black, with the margins of thorax and more 

 or less of the apical half of the elytra reddish-testaceous ; the colour is 

 variable, the thorax being sometimes entirely reddish-testaceous except 

 for a dark spot on disc ; head fuscous, plainly visible beneath the trans- 

 parent anterior margin of tliorax, antennae testaceous ; thorax semicircular, 

 with posterior angles acute and somewhat prominent, very finely and 

 diffuselj^ punctured and distinctly alutaceous ; elytra very plainly punc- 

 tured towards base, almost impunctate at apex, distinctly alutaceous ; 

 abdomen black, very finely pubescent ; legs entirely testaceous. L. 

 •| mm. 



In vegetable refuse, decaying seaweed, nt roots of plants, &c. ; not uncommon in 

 many localities in the London district and the South of England. Darenth Wood, 

 Reigate, Putney, Gravesend, Sheerness ; Birchington ; Brighton ; Glanvilles Wootton ; 

 Isle of Wight ; Weymouth ; Devon ; Swansea ; Wicken and Qny Fens, Canibndge ; 

 Salford Priors, Evesham ; Ireland, Malahide, near Dublin ; it has not apparently been 

 found in the North of England or in Scotland. 



C. sublaevlpennis, Duv. Yery like the preceding, but easily dis- 

 tinguished by its lighter colour (the thorax being, as a rule, entirely 

 testaceous), shorter form, and less close punctuation, which is more diffuse 

 and much finer on the elytra ; the elytra are also less contracted behind. 

 L. f mm. 



In vegetable refuse, flood refuse, &c. j rare ; first described as taken in Britain at 

 Weymouth in the autumn of 186S by Mr. Crotch and Dr. Sharp; Mr. Matthews, 

 VOL. III. L 



