The Beetles of the Downs 



more exposed slopes. For this purpose the most 

 efficient implement is a small rake head, some six to 

 nine inches wide, fitted to a 'detachable handle of about 

 a foot long. If we carry a knapsack of any kind this 

 can be easily carried to the scene of operations ; 

 the stones may be simply raked over on the ground, 

 the moss torn up and shaken over the brown paper, 

 which should always form part of our equipment. 



There are two species, both of the group Gcodephaga 

 and both of that division of the group called LcUina, 

 of which the first capture we made, viz., Brachinus 

 crepitans, was one, which we are likely to capture 

 by either of these processes, the first a very small 

 beetle, only about 2\ mm. long, whose name is 

 Blechrus maurus (the obscure Blechrus), Fig. 4, Plate IV. 

 The whole insect is entirely glossy black, the head 

 large and smooth, the thorax very much narrowed 

 behind and longer than broad, with the hind angles 

 obtuse, the elytra quite smooth, the end of the abdomen 

 being often slightly turned up so as to show plainly 

 that the elytra do not quite cover it. There is only 

 one British species of the genus, although there are 

 three in a genus that is exceedingly like it called 

 Metabletus, but the commonest of these Metabletus 

 fovoda is more dark bronze than black. Another, 

 M. obscuro-guttatus, has, as its name implies, two obscure 

 light spots, the third, M. truncatellus, is very like our 

 Blechrus, and we might quite possibly find it also on 

 this Down side; it is about the same size, but whereas 

 in Blechrus the thorax is slightly longer than broad, 



15 



