Gnafhoncus.'] clavicornia. 209 



G. wasinetensis, Mars, {rotundahi?, Brit. Cat., nee Kiig.). Black, 

 or pitchy-black, shining ; frontal stria wanting ; thorax entirely covered 

 ■svitli diifuse punctures, which are stronger and closer at sides ; elytra 

 moderately strongly and thickly punctured except towards base, with 

 an abbreviated marginal stria, and four dorsal striaj which reach beyond 

 middle, the first almost reaching apex in many examples ; sutural stria 

 distinct at base ; anterior tibia? not much dilated, with 6-8 teeth. L. 

 2\-oh mm. 



In moss, birds' nests, haystack, flood, and vegetable refuse, dead birds, &c. ; local ; 

 Lee; Sheeruess; Deal; Norfolk; Margate; Hastings; New Forest; Glaiivillfis 

 Wootton (in stock dove nests inside hollow apple trees in old orchard) ; Swansea ; 

 Cannock Cha-^e ; Cleethorpes, Luicolnshire ; Manchester ; Northumberland district, 

 rare; Scotland, rare, Forth and Clyde districts ; Ireland, Portmarnoek. 



The true G. rofundatus, Kug., appears to differ from this species in 

 its subparallel and depressed form, and some writers consider that 

 G. nannetensis may be only a variety; the question, however, does not 

 appear at present to be settled. 



Gt' punctislatus, Thoms. Closely allied to the preceding, but dis- 

 tinctly smaller, and less stronglj^ convex and rounded; the antenna?, legs, 

 and hinder part of the elytra are of a lighter colour ; the first dorsal stna 

 of the elytra almost reaches apex, and the next three cease at middle ; 

 the sutural stria is almost or entirely wanting ; the punctuation of the 

 upper surface is more fine and diffuse, and the mesosternuni (which in 

 the preceding species is strongly and rather thickly punctured) is very 

 finely and diffusely punctured. L. lf-2| mm. 



Found under the same circumstances as the preceding ; rare ; near London 

 (Janson) ; Knowle, near Birmingham (Blatch) ; Lytham, Lancashire (Chappell) ; 

 these latter specimens were considered by Mr. IJye to be varieties of G. rotiindafus ; 

 I received a specimen some time ago from Mr. J. J. Walker from Cleethorpes, Lin- 

 colnshire. 



This species and the preceding appear to vary considerably in size 

 and striation, the character of the presence or absence of the sutural 

 stria being very doubtfully trustworthy ; perhaps all the three European 

 species will ultimately be referred to one only. 



In the Entomologists' Monthly Magazine, vol. xxiii., p. 16, Mr. Gor- 

 ham says that Gnatlionci inhabit pigeons' and other birds' nests, and 

 places such as towers where owls breed, and that it would be worth 

 while, if any one has the opportunity of visiting such places, to bear in 

 mind the probability of our having more than one species of Histeridse 

 co-existing with the birds. 



^o 



SAPHINUS, Erichson. 



This genus contains about three hundred and sixty or seventy species, 

 and like Hider is very widely distributed both in the tropics and in 

 VOL, III. p 



