Attagcnus.] cr.AVicORNiA. 359 



ATTAGrEKUS, Latreillo. 



This genus contains atont fifty species, of Avliich about half are found 

 in Europe ; the remainder are widely distributed, representatives 

 occurring in Abyssinia, Ceylon, Cape of Good Hope, North and South 

 America, &c. 



The larva of A. pellio 1ms been described and figured by several authors ; it is 

 rather lon^' and cylindrical, broad in front and considerably narrowed to apex, which 

 is furnishccl with a long tuft of hairs ; the vest ot the upper surface is also more or 

 less hairy • the colour is brown or reddish-brown above and paler below ; the motions 

 of this iai-va are irregular, and it proceeds by tits and starts, a peculiarity well 

 expressed by the French word " saccade." 



There are three species reputed as British ; one is very common, but 

 the other two are doubtfully indigenous ; as, however, they are usually 

 included in our catalogues, I have not excluded them. 



1. Elytra black or pitchy with a distinct white spot in 



middle of each near suture A. PELLio, L. 



II. Elytra unicolorous black or pitchy A. MEGATOMA, i*. 



III. Elytra fuscous black with three transverse flexuous 

 ' bauds interrupted at suture, a patch at apex, and a 

 minute round spot on each side of scutellum, whitish . A. tbifasciatus, J'. 



{verhasci, auct.) 



A. pellio, L. Oblong-oval, rather convex, black, clothed with short 

 brownish pubescence ; head rather strongly punctured, ocellus distinct, 

 antennsi short, red, with dark club ; thorax transverse, narrowed from 

 base to apex, closely but distinctly punctured, with a spot of white 

 pubescence in centre of base and at each of the posterior angles; 

 elytra black with a very distinct spot of dense white pubescence on 

 either side of suture about middle ; under-side black, covered with 

 yellowish-grey pubescence ; legs black with tarsi ferruginous, sometimes 

 entirely red. L. 4-5 mm. 



Male with joints 9-10 of the antennae very small, last ]oint very long, 

 nearly as long as the rest of the antenna ; female with joints 9-10 

 together about equal to the last joint. 



In skin<= furs, natural history collections, &c. ; usually in houses ; occasionally in 

 hen-coops, pigeon-cotes, &c. ; common and generally distributed throughout the 

 greater mrt of England, but apparently, like all the Dermestidfe, rarer m the north ; 

 Scotland, rare, Forth district only; Ireland, near Dublin. 



(A. meg-atoma, F. {piceus, 01). This insect appears to be allied 

 to the preceding, but, according to Mr. Wollaston, who has taken the 

 only British example known, " its average smaller size, narrower shape, 

 unspotted surface, and (in the male) the very long apical joint of the 

 antenna, at once separate it from the common A. pellio "; as a matter 

 of fact, however, the last joint of the antenna? appears to be longer in 

 proportion in A. pellio, but the other characters will easily distinguish 

 it 3 the legs are red. L. 3-4^ mm. 



