28 Mr. David Sliai-p on the 



distinguished from European and East Siberian indi- 

 viduals. In some specimens the only trace of the trans- 

 verse white fascia of the elytra is to be found in an ill- 

 defined, narrow, longitudinal line of scanty white hairs near 

 the outer angle of the elytra, and the white pubescence of 

 the upper surf ice of the hind body is also nearly entirely 

 absent. Some specimens, however, haA'e the transverse 

 white fascia on the elytra quite distinct, though in none is 

 it so broad as in European individuals. The elytra are 

 more sparingly punctured in the Japanese individuals (as 

 is well seen by denuding specimens of their pubescence), 

 this character, indeed, seems to bear a direct proportion 

 to the absence of the white pubescence. There are also 

 two specimens (unfortunately much abraded) which repre- 

 sent the var. ciliaris, Steph. {fulvago, Mots.), as the black 

 pubescence of the elytra, breast and legs is replaced by a 

 yellowish pubescence. This yellow pubescence is, how- 

 ever, very much less bright in colour than in fulvago. 

 I think it advisable to give names to these three forms, 

 and I would call the variety in which the white pubescence 

 is least marked, var. suhfasciatus ; the variety which most 

 nearly approaches our Euro])ean race, var. medialis ; and 

 the specimens with the yellowish pubescence, var. im- 

 hecillus. Individuals of CreopJiilus from Northern China 

 appear not to differ from C. cinerarias, Er. ; but I may 

 remark that I think it not unlikely it will be ultimately 

 found that C. maxillosus, cinerarius, arcticus and villosus 

 cannot be maintained as distinct species, but must be 

 looked on as geographical races of one and the same 

 species. 



Mr. Lewis informs me that in Japan the species occurs 

 commonly in carrion in sandy districts. 



55. Leistotrophus gracilis, n. sp. Niger, tomento 

 fusco-nebuloso vestitus, abdomine segmentis 3°, 4°que 

 medio flavescentibus ; antennis pedibusque testaceis, his 

 femoribus nigro-maculatis. Long. 7 liu. 



This species in colour and structure greatly resembles 

 L. 7iebulosus, but is much narrower, and is very readily 

 distinguished by its very slender, and rather elongate 

 antennte ; these are of a yellowish colour, are scarcely 

 thickened towards the extremity, and have even the lOtli 

 joint longer than broad ; the eyes also approach much 

 nearer to the hinder angles of the head than they do in 

 nebulosus. 



