THE PSEUDOTRIMERA. 235 



specific name on account of having been reared by its 

 discoverer from larvae found in a dry pig's bladder; and 

 many similar instances of inappropriate baptisms occur, 

 through insects having been observed for the first time 

 under accidental circumstances. 



Another species, L. nodifer, much smaller, dull black, 

 with little humps on its elytra, is now very common in 

 cut grass, rubbish heaps, etc., all over the south and 

 midland parts of the country, though unknown some 

 few years ago. When quite fresh it has a thin white 

 membrane on each side of its thorax, somewhat like the 

 pellicle filling up the marginal notch in the same part 

 of Ochthebius. 



In this genus the body is never pubescent, or the 

 sides of the thorax crenulated, as in its ally Corticaria, 

 the species of which are more convex and cylindrical, 

 and have the front coxae more approximated. 



The PSELAPHID^E are often considered as belonging 

 to the Brachelytra, apparently for the sole reason of 

 their elytra being short. They constitute a very well- 

 defined and most interesting group of small species, 

 especially distinguished by their abbreviated elytra, acute 

 mandibles, prominent granulated eyes, more or less 

 abruptly clubbed antennae (of which the last joint is 

 very large), elongated and highly-developed maxillary 

 palpi, margined abdomen (nearly all of which is ex- 

 posed), clavate femora, obsoletely- spurred tibiae, and 

 usually single-clawed tarsi. They are shining, hard, 

 light-yellow, brown or red in colour, and with a dis- 

 tinct neck to the head. The Pselaphida have been mo- 

 nographed by Leach, Reichenbach, and Aube ; also by 

 Denny, Norwich, 1825 (with coloured plates) . 



They are mostly found in moss, damp marshy places, 



