228 CLAvicORNiA, [^Epura'a. 



much smaller, ■\vitli tlie spots on the elytra not nearly so "well marked, 

 and sometimes so confluent that the elytra appear to be almost entirely 

 testaceous ; the elytra are somewhat more acuminate at the extremity 

 than is the case with the preceding species, but this is not a marked 

 character ; in the male the posterior tibite and femora are rarely more 

 than thickened. L. 2|- mm. 



At the exndino; sap of (7o5.?((.9-infected trees; rare; Addington and Shirley; Soli- 

 hull, near Birmingham (Blateh) ; Dunham Park, near Manchester, in company with 

 the preceding species (J. Chappell); Stretfoi'd, near Manchester, flying over a wood- 

 yard (A. Restou) ; vSeotland, very rare, " a single specimen found in fungus, on an oak 

 stump at Eccles," Solway district (Shai-p). 



It is probable that this species is only a small variety of E. derem- 

 f/uttata, as intermediate specimens occur which have the tibiae and 

 femora of the male not quite simple, and which vary both as to colour 

 and size ; the var. minor, elytrls immaculatls of Waterhouse's catalogue 

 must be referred to this species, the example being entirely testaceous 

 with dark thorax ; the question Avill be found fully discussed by myself 

 in Ent. Monthly Mag. xxi. 93, 94. 



S. eestiva, L. Ovate, lighter or darker reddish -testaceous or ferru- 

 ginous, rather thickly and finely, but distinctly, punctured, with thin 

 and fine pubescence ; antennt^ uuicolorous reddish-testaceous, with the 

 last joint of the club large, always broader than the penultimate ; thorax 

 with distinct, but not broad, margins, sides rounded and somewhat 

 narrowed towards apex^ anterior margin broadly emarginate, posterior 

 angles right angles ; elytra moderately convex ; legs reddish-testaceous, 

 with all the tibiae simple in both sexes. L. 2-3 mm. 



In flowers, especially in hawthorn blossom in spring ; very common and generally 

 distributed throughout the kingdom. Mr. J. Chappell informs me that he has ibuud 

 the larva? plentifully in a nest of Bomhus liiconun, which he put into a tin, and 

 Irom them reared a large number of the perfect insect in the following spring. 



There is often a dark roundish spot on each elytron in this species ; this 

 is, however, mostly deceptive, and is caused by the folding of the wings, 

 as above mentioned, underneath the elytra ; the specimens in which the 

 spot is marked appear to be the v. hisiynata, Sturm. 



E. snelina, Er. Yery closely allied to the preceding, but easily dis- 

 guished by its much stronger and less close punctuation, and the black 

 or dark club of the antennae, the last joint of Avhich is narrower than 

 the penultimate, and not broader, as in E. cestiva ; in many specimens 

 the last joint only of the antennas is fuscous ; the species is on an ave- 

 rage larger than the preceding and of a darker colour. Erichson says of 

 E. vielina that the "legs in both sexes are simple." Thomson says that 

 the " male has the intermediate tibiae sinuate." I have examined a numher 

 of specimens, and Dr. Power kindly examined his series for me, and all 

 these have the intermediate tibiae simple ; this is only one out of several 

 points on which authorities arc found at variance in this genus. L. 3 

 mm. 



