286 CLAvicouNiA. \_Rltizopliagus. 



brownish-red witli disc of latter darker, elytra brownisli-red or blackish 

 Avith extreme side margins, apex, and basal fourth part red, the colour, 

 however, being somewhat variable in extent ; head large, especially in 

 male, eyes prominent ; thorax considerably longer than broad, more so in 

 the male than the female, plainly punctured on disc, more finely at sides ; 

 elytra with distinctly and regularly punctured stria3, sutural stria deeply 

 impressed behind middle ; antennae and legs ferruginous ; last segment 

 of abdomen with a distinct impression, terminated on each side by a 

 small raised prominence, L. 2|-4|- mm. 



Under bark, at sap, &c. ; rare; Sutton Park, Birmingham; Hopwas Wood, Tani- 

 wortli ; Cannock Chase ; Needwood ; Matlock ; Sherwood Forest ; Scotland, R ainoch 

 (Power and Champion). Mr. W. G. Blatch has been more succesaful in finding this 

 rare insect than any other British entomologist.* 



IS,, dispar, Gyll. Closely resembling the preceding species in colour, 

 but smaller, and rather flatter, and with the colour rather more variable ; 

 head large, especially in male, eyes prominent ; thorax evidently longer 

 than broad, more so in the male than in the female, finely punctured at 

 sides, more plainly on disc ; elytra with plainly punctured strise, sutural 

 stria strongly deepened, especially behind ; antennte and legs ferruginous ; 

 last segment of abdomen sim})le in both sexes ; size as in the preceding 

 species very variable. L, 2-4 mm. 



Not uncommon at sappy bark of pines, poplars, &c., in the Midlands and North of 

 England, and in Scothind and Ireland ; it does not, liowever, apparently occur in the 

 London district or the South ; in Scotland it is sometimes found in profusion under the 

 bark of conifers ; it is occasionally found in fungi on decayed trees, 



H. bipustulatus, F, (lo7ir//coUis, Gyl\., ? ). Eather flat, pitchy- 

 black or brownish- black, with a plainly defined yellowish-red spot on each 

 elytron a little before apex ; the shoidders also are often slightly reddish ; 

 head in both sexes somewhat narrower than thorax, thickly and some- 

 what finely punctured ; thorax not much longer than broad, Avith sides anel 

 anterior and posterior angles slightl}^ roundtid, distinctly and not very 

 closely punctured ; elytra Avith plainly and regularly punctured stria?, 

 sutural stria deepened behind ; antennas and legs ferruginous; size and 

 colour very variable. L. 2-3| mm. 



Under bark, at sap, &c. ; common and generally distributed throughout the king- 

 dom. 



This species A^aries very much in colour, some specimens being light 

 pitchy-brown, and others testaceous ; the former may easily be distin- 

 guished, as the tAvo spots on the elytra are always distinct, if the ground 

 colour is at all darker ; pale immature examples, hoAvever, may sometimes 

 l)e confused Avith M. perforatus, but the rounded sides and angles of 

 thorax, Avhicli is also more closely and less strongly punctured, and the 

 more plainly punctured striae of elytra Avill serve to distinguish them. 



* Mr. Horner and Mr. Blatch have recently taken a species allied to H. nitiduhhs in 

 Sherwood Forest, which appears to be undescribed. 



