Byrrhus.l clavicoknia. 369 



At roots of prass and plants, in moss, on roads, &c. ; common and generally 

 distributed tlircmy-liout the kluj^Join. 



V. Dennyi, Steph. Stephens' description of this variety, which he 

 regards as a separate species, is as follows : — " Oblong-ovate ; black, 

 clothed with a pale golden pabesceiice ; thorax Avith two large round 

 black spots in front, and two irregular angulated ones behind ; elytra 

 with four longitudinal interrupted black stripes, and a broad sinuated, 

 abbreviated, black transverse fascia in the middle of the back ; the 

 margin dusky ; body beneath dull black ; legs and antenn^e dull pitchy- 

 black ; slightly variable, the markings being less evident in some 

 examples than in others ; " apparently, however, the name has been 

 applied to other varieties of B. pilula, in which the alternate interstices 

 are covered with somewhat golden pubescence, and the black markings 

 are scarcely evident; according to Erichson the anterior tibise are 

 gradually dilated to apex, and the maxillary palpi have the last joint 

 subsecuriform : if these differences were very marked^ they would seem 

 to imiicate that B. Dennyi was distinct, but such does not appear to be 

 the case, and taking into consideration the extreme variability of B. 

 pilula and B. fasciatus, it seems best with lieitter and others to 

 regard it as a variety of the former species. 



Saudy and clialky places ; in moss, at roots of Teucrium scoroclonia, &c. ; rare ; 

 Cliobham and Tonbridge Wells (Saunders); Kewley and Ciiterliain, Surrey (Cbam- 

 pion) ; Hampstead Heath, Shirley, Cowley, Reigate and Box Hill, St. Leonards 

 and Littliugton (Power); Hampstead Heath and B.irham (Stephens). 



S. fasciatus, F. Of rather shorter ovate or obovate form than the 

 preceding, black, clothed with pubescence which is extremely variable ; 

 head rather large, antenna black with joints 2-4 brown, last joint of 

 maxillary palpi onh'^ slightly thickened, somewhat acuminate ; thorax 

 very finely and thickly punctured ; elytra with fine punctured striae, 

 interstices flat ; under-side thickly punctured and rather closely pubescent, 

 anal segment without impressions; legs pitchy-black or pitchy-red, 

 gradually dilated to apex. L. 6-8 mm. 



In the European catalogue no less than thirteen varieties of this 

 insect are enumerated ; as a rule the upper surface is covered with 

 brownish pubescence, that on scutelluni being mostly black, and the 

 elytra are furnished Avith black interrupted lines on the alternate in- 

 terstices, and with a broad common waved band of greyish, yellowish 

 or even almost reddish pubescence on the centre of disc ; the general 

 pubescence is, however, often fuscous and sometimes almost black, and the 

 variegating pubescence may be whitish, greyish or yellowish or reddish- 

 golden ; occasionally there is a more or less distinct band on thorax ; the 

 elytral band may be entirely absent, or sometimes simply takes the 

 form of two narrow more or less interrupted lines, which are some- 

 times represented by a few spots ; a considerable number of the forms 

 appear to occur in Britain. 



VOL. ITI, B b 



