MelaiiojjJdhahua.'} clavicornia. 293 



given ; it contains about ten European species, two or three of 

 ■\vliich are extremely variable ; four British species have hitherto been 

 recognized, but I have hitcly found a fifth in Dr. Sharp's collection ; 

 the club of the antennae is less abrupt than in Corticaria, and the 

 metasternum is not, or scarcely, impressed longitudinally ; the form, too, 

 is shorter and more oval. 



I. Thorax much narrower than elytra, with sides feebly 

 rounded, and the posterior angles not produced iu a 



tooth. (Sub-gen. Melanophthalma, i. sp.) 

 i. Size smaller ; thorax narrow, almost as long as broad ; 



elytra short oval, with sculpture well marked 



towards base M. GiiiBOSA, Ilerhst. 



ii. Size larger j thorax always broader than long; 



elytra oblong-oval, with sculpture shallow, and 



net marked ••.... M. teansversalts, 



V. WOLLASTONI, Wat. 



II. Thorax not much narrower than elytra, with sides 

 rather strongly rounded, and the posterior angles pro- 

 duced iu the form of a small tooth. (Sub-gen. Corti' 



carina, Reitter.) * 

 i. Thorax not much broader than long ; sculpture of 



elytra strong ; alternate interstices of elytra raised, 



especially near suture M. SIM i LATA, Gtfll. 



ii. Thorax strongly transverse ; sculpture of elytra much 



finer; alternate interstices of elytra not, or scarcely, 

 raised. 



1. Colour dark, fuscous ; elytra evidently broader in 



middle than thorax ; size larger M. FTJSCuiA, Maiinh. 



2. Colour more or less reddish or ferruginous ; elytra at 



broadest not much wider than thorax ; size smaller M. fitlvipfs, Com. 



(curta, WoU.) 



BI. g-ibbosa, Herbst. (wq^ressa, Marsh.). Tuscou?, slightly shiniug, 

 clothed Avith rather thick pale pubescence, antennae and legs testaceous, 

 club of former fuscous ; head nearly as broad as thorax, with eyes very 

 prominent ; thorax narrow in proportion to elytra, about as long as 

 broad, broadest a little before middle, with sides gradually contracted 

 behind, distinctly punctured, with a curved fovea behind extending 

 almost to the lateral margins ; elytra rather short oval, with the humeral 

 angles well marked, with evident rows of punctured strife, and the in- 

 terstices furnished with series of very fine punctures, and slightly 

 rugose transversely. L. 1^-li mm. 



Male with the anterior tibiae sinuate and furnished on the inside 

 with a small tooth a little before apex ; anterior tarsi with the first joint 

 dilated, and the trochanters produced in a tooth. 



In moss, haystack refuse, &c, ; common and generally distributed throughout the 

 kingdom. ■ 



* Some authors prefer to assign the name Corticarina to the whole genus, and tp 

 drop Motschulsky's name on the ground that his genus included several species gf 

 Corticaria proper, and is ill-defined. 



