TEXTHEEDOPSIS SCUTELLAEIS. 109 



The $ is similar in coloration, except that the red on abdomen is 

 more obscure, more extended, but the abdomen is often black in the 

 middle ; the hinder femora are testaceous, or for the greater part pitchy ; 

 the coxae bear more white than with the $ , and the antennae are lighter 

 coloured. 



Length 4 5$ lines. 



Ab. a. Middle femora entirely, and hinder tibiae and 

 tarsi, except last joint, black ; middle tibiae and four 

 front tarsi pitchy; mandibles black; antennae with only 

 the apical joints pitchy beneath ; post-scutellar spots 

 black. 



Ab. b. Abdomen testaceous at the sides on middle 

 segments. 



c. Orbits of the eyes black. 



d. Edge of pronotum and of basal segment of 

 abdomen yellow. 



e. Eyes entirely surrounded with white; hinder 

 tarsi pitchy, with the third and fourth joints white. 



/. Tegulae white. 



tj. Abdomen without black marks on red. 



h. Abdomen with a broad black band on red. 



May be known from nigricottis by its longer antennae, 

 which have the third joint not much longer than 

 fourth ; the clypeus is not transverse at the apex, and 

 it is always yellow, the antennal fovea is deeper, and 

 it differs otherwise in the colour of thorax and legs (at 

 the base). From flavomaculata the brighter coloured 

 varieties are not always easily separated, but, as a rule 

 flavomaculata may be known from it by the wider ex- 

 tension of the yellow (which is much brighter than in 

 scutellaris) on the head, thorax, and base of abdomen, 

 the antennae are shorter, the frontal area wider and 

 more circular at the top, and the head is longer and 

 thicker behind. The <| is easily known from the $ 

 of nigricoUis by the thorax being lined with white, and 

 the legs pale at the base. 



Not uncommon on birch everywhere in Britain. 



Continental distribution : Sweden, Holland, Ger- 

 many, France, Italy, Kussia, Spain, and Portugal. 



