British Species of Homalota. 151 



tubercles, and tlie space in front of these is thickly- 

 studded with granulations ; the granulations of the fifth 

 and sixth segments are also very distinct ; sometimes 

 also the posterior margin of the seventh segment has a 

 very small notch in the middle. 



In the female, the apical segments of the abdomen are 

 not more shining than the basal ones, the granulations 

 on the fifth and sixth segments are indistinct ; the 

 extreme edge of the seventh segment is less shining than 

 in the male, and the four elevations in front of this 

 space are smaller, and more separated from one another ; 

 the outside one on each side being a sort of raised 

 line connected with the outer angle. 



This peculiar species is found in large marshes, and 

 lives in the axils of the leaves of water plants, but is to 

 be found also amongst moss and rubbish at the edges of 

 pools. Hammersmith Marshes and the Fen districts. 



46. Homalota nigella. 



Linearis, angusta, antice opaca; thorace subquadrato, 

 basin versus angustato, dorso late longitudinaliter im- 

 presso; elytris hoc paulo latioribus et longioribus ; ab- 

 domine segmentis 2-4 crebre distincte punctatis, 5° 

 magis sparsim punctate. Long. Ij lin. 



Mas ; abdomine segmento 6° supra sat distincte 

 granulate, 7° apice denticulis 4 instructo. 



H. nigella, Er. Kiif. Brand, i. 323 ; Gen. et Spec. 

 Staph. 92; Kr. Ins. Deutsch. ii. 237; Wat. Cat. H. 

 immersa, Th. Ofv. Vet. Ac. Forh. 1852, p. 139. Dinarcea 

 punctiventris , Th. Sk. Col. ii. 292. 



Allied both to the preceding and following species, 

 but smaller than either. The head and thorax dull, the 

 elytra and abdomen more shining. The antennae are 

 thickened towards the apex, about as long as the head and 

 thorax, testaceous at the base, infuscate towards the 

 apex ; the first joint nearly as long as the second and 

 third, three a little shorter and more slender than two ; 

 four to ten each a little broader than its predecessor, 

 six to ten distinctly transverse ; eleventh not quite twice 

 as long as the tenth. The head is but little narrower 

 than the thorax, dull, flat, broadly and indistinctly im- 

 pressed in the male, the sculpture dense, but indistinct. 



