British Species of Homalota. 215 



black, the base sometimes indistinctly pitchy, a little 

 thickened towards the apex ; joint three shorter and 

 more slender than two, narrowed towards the base, four 

 to ten transverse ; eleventh joint nearly twice as long 

 as the tenth. The head is a little narrower than the tho- 

 rax, black, shining, and impunctate. The thorax is but 

 little narrower than the elytra, about a third broader than 

 long, shining, extremely finely and sparingly punctured, 

 with a small, very indistinct impression in front of the 

 scutellum. The elytra are black, or pitchy, a third longer 

 than the thorax, extremely sparingly and finely punc- 

 tured, and with a very sparing and delicate pubescence. 

 The abdomen is black and shining, very sparingly punc- 

 tured. The legs are pitchy. 



The male is scarcely to be distinguished from the 

 female, except by the considerably narrower abdoijiinal 

 segment. 



Eare. I have found it in heaps of cut grass at Thorn- 

 hill, and have seen it also in Mr. Waterhouse's and other 

 collections. 



Obs. — I have identified this species by comparison with 

 the types of H. minuscula, Bris. Kraatz has himself 

 declared the identity of M. Brisout's minuscula with his 

 atomaria. 



107. Homalo ta perexigua . 



Nigra, nitidula, elytris nigro-fuscis, pedibus piceo- 

 testaceis, omnium parce subtilissime punctata tenuis- 

 simeque pubescens; thorace transversim subquadrato, 

 elytris angustiore; abdomine supra fere lasvigato. Long. 

 h lin. 



Closely allied to H. atomaria, but still smaller and more 

 fragile, the thorax less transverse and narrower than 

 the elytra, the antennae notably thinner, though simi- 

 larly formed, so that the intermediate joints are less 

 transverse. 



In the male, the seventh abdominal segment is nar- 

 rower than in the female, its ventral plate is narrow, a 

 little produced, and with the hind margin rounded. 



Very rare. I have found it on one or two occasions 

 near London, and have seen specimens in several col- 

 lections. 



