Ilyppraspis.'] clavicornia. 109 



occ.Tsion:illy fouiul by sweepinpr umlor fir-trees ; local, iind, as a rule, rather scarce ; 

 E>lier, Mickleliani, Shirley, Box Hill, ChoLliam, Shceniess ; Hastings; Seaford, 

 Sussex ; Hohn Bush, Brighton ; New Forest ; Devon ; Llyfuant Valley, uear Borth, 

 Cardiganshire; Barmouth; Windsor Forest; Bovvdley ; Stail'ordsliiro ; Chat Moss ; 

 Withiugton, Cheshire; IScarhorongh ; Scotland, local, iimongst moss in plantations 

 of larch aud fir, Sohvay, Forth, Clyde, Tay, Argyle, and Moray districts. 



SCVMNUS, Kiigelann. 



This genus is a very large and extensive one ; iipAvards of two hundred 

 and fifty species have already been described, and it is probal)le that this 

 is far from representing the total number ; they are small, and, as a 

 rule, very inconspicuous insects, and in many cases are difficult to deter- 

 mine ; they are distinguished by their plainly pubescent surface and very 

 short antennse ; they are closely related to Flatynaspis, but the clypeus 

 does not extend in front of the eyes as in that genus ; from IIyi)era><ins 

 they may be known by the pubescence of the upper surface ; in spite of 

 their small size, as Mulsant remarks, they are devourers of apliides both 

 in the larval and perfect state ; the larva both of Svyvimis and riatynaqns 

 is not furnished with rows of spines as is the case with most of the other 

 Coccinellidee, but is covered with a Avhite substance like minute flocks 

 of wool ; Reaumur was the first to observe this, and designated the larvae 

 Vi^ " Herissons Nancs" or " Barhefs lJa7irs ,-" this substance is easily 

 rubbed off, but the insect has tlie power of renewing it again within 

 twelve hours (v. Mulsant, Securipalpes, pp. 211, 212). There are forty- 

 five European species of Scymims, of which fourteen occi;r in Britain ; 

 in determining the species the shape of the post-coxal foveae and the 

 continuance, interruption, and direction of the raised lines surrounding 

 them are very important characters, but are somewhat hard to observe 

 without removing the posterior legs ; I have therefore made as little use 

 of them as possible in the following table; in many of the species the 

 sexes differ considerably in the coloration of the head and thorax. 



I. Posterior coxsb not very widely separated. 

 i. Post-coxal fovese with raised sides incomplete. 



1. Anterior coxae widely distant; size, as a 



rule, smaller, (sg. Nephus, Muls.)* 



A. Each elytron with two orange-yellow 



spots S. PtricnELLTTs, Eerlst. 



(quadriltinulatus, 111.) 



B. Elytra unicolorous black, or furnished 



with a longitudinal reddish patch on 



each S. Redtestbacheri, Muls. 



2. Anterior coxae less distant ; size, as a rule, 



larger. {Scymnus, i. sp.) * 

 A. Elytra unicolorous black. 



a. Legs dark brown, pitchy S. nigrintjs, Kug. 



* Mulsant separates the genus Nephus from Sct/wnv.s on the relative distance of 

 the " abdominal plates " of the first ventral segment from the side margin. 



