AspidipJiorus.] clavicoknia. 373 



ASFZSZPXXOIIUS, Latreille (Cou/pora, Thomson, &c.). 



Tlie position of this genus has been referred to above fp 365); it con- 

 tains two species, as far as is at present known, both of which are found 

 in Europe ; the following are its chief characters : clypeus large, distinct; 

 antennae 10-jointed ; head with antennal furrows ; eyes entire ; thorax 

 finely margined, fitting closely to base of elytra ; tarsi heteromerous, with 

 the first joint obsolete, much sliorter than tibise ; form convex, somewhat 

 orbicular, shining and sparingly pubescent ; size very small. 



A. ox*biculatus, Gyll. (striatopuncfatus, Lap.). Subglobose, obo- 

 vate, shining black, very sparingly pubescent, almost glabrous ; head 

 large, minutely punctured, eyes prominent, antennae red with club black, 

 rather long, with the basal joint very large, and the club elongate and 

 cylindrical, 3 -jointed ; thorax short, narrowed in front, finely punctured ; 

 elytra broader than thorax, very convex, with rather strong rov/s of 

 punctures ; under-side shining pitchy-black, breast deeply punctured ; 

 legs long and rather slender, reddish- testaceous. L. l-lj mm. 



In powdery fundus on fir stumps, in moss, &c. ; rare j Esher (Power and Rye), 

 Chiitham, Cateiliam, Bishops Wood, Darentli. Faversham, Reigate, Croluiinhurst, 

 E)>ping F('rest, Southjiate; Haefmss; New Forest; Isle of Wiujht ; Tei;^ninouth 

 (WoUaston) ; Pljmoutb (J. J. Walker) ; Whatcote; Dunham Park, Manchester. 



GEOR'SSSID^. 



This family contains the single genus Qeoryssus, which is closely allied 

 to the genus Elmis, but differs from it in its very short and distinctly 

 clavate antennae and the short 4-jointed tarsi ; the head is large and de- 

 flexed, and the antennae are inserted under the sides of the front, and 

 are 9-jointed, with the first and second joints thick and the last three 

 forming an oval club ; the thorax fits closely to the elytra ; scutellum 

 inconspicuous ; anterior coxee jirominent, flattened at tip and forming two 

 plates which conceal the presternum ; intermediate and posterior coxae 

 distant ; elytra entire, very roughly sculptured ; abdomen composed of 

 five segments, of which the first is very large, and the last three free. 



The Geory.i.ii are found at the mnrgins of streams, or in wet and muddy places at 

 the foot of clitfs, &c. ; occasionally they occur nder stones in running streams ; they 

 cover themselves with a thick coatinsr of mud and sand, which entirely conceals them 

 nntil th( y move, when they look like animated grsiiiis of earth ; Westwood (Classific. 

 i. p. 119) appears to think that thi happens rarely and is net the natural economy 

 of the insect, but this hardly seems to be the case, and any one who has watched them can 

 scarcely doubt but that the muddy coating is intended for concealment a.id )irotec- 

 tion ; according to Wesmael the species nre always found on tlie snrfiice of the ground, 

 as their bodies are entirely glabrous, and consequently unable to retain a coating of air 

 when immersed in water. 



O-EORVSSUS, Latreille. 



About twenty species have been described as belonging to this genus ; 



