British Si^ecies of Homalota. 21o 



A small dark-coloured species, with large head, and 

 the thorax narrower than the elytra. Antennse black, 

 the basal joint pitchy, a little thickened towards the apex ; 

 first joint stout in proportion to the others, three not so 

 long as two, four smaller than any of the others, five to 

 nine distinctly transverse, ten notably longer and less 

 transverse than nine; eleventh joint rather short and 

 stout, about half as long again as the tenth. The head 

 is scarcely narrower than the thorax, rather long, with 

 the eyes prominent ; in the male with a deep longitudinal 

 channel, extending the whole length, in the female with 

 a short impression in the middle behind the antennae. 

 The thorax is considerably narrower than the elytra, 

 scarcely a third broader than long, a little narrowed 

 behind, finely but somewhat roughly and pretty closely 

 punctured ; in the male with a large fovea in the middle, 

 in the female with an indistinct impression or channel in 

 front of the scutellum. The elytra are black or pitchy- 

 black, long in proportion to their breadth, half as long 

 again as the thorax, finely and pretty closely punctured. 

 Abdomen black and shining, segments two to four spar- 

 ingly punctured, five and six nearly impunctate. Legs 

 pitchy or pitchy-testaceous. 



In the male, the third joint of the antennae is stouter 

 than in the female, the head and thorax are more dis- 

 tinctly impressed, the seventh abdominal segment is 

 narrower than in the female, and the apex of its dorsal 

 plate a little truncate. 



In fungi and vegetable refuse, not common. Brocken- 

 hurst, Edinburgh, Thornhill. 



Obs. — I think, from descriptions, that H. corvina, Th., 

 is pretty certainly identical with H. lepida, Kr. Kraatz 

 truly says, that fresh specimens of this species appear 

 more strongly punctured than old ones. 



105. Homalota puherula. 



Subdepressa, parallela, nigro-picea, nitidula, elytris 

 fuscis, pedibus fusco-testaceis ; capite thorace elytrisque 

 parce subtilissime punctatis, et tenuissime pubescenti- 

 bus ; thorace transverse, elytris hoc sesqui longioribus ; 

 abdomine basi parce punctato, apice fere laevigato. Long. 

 1 lin. 



