76 Mr. A. Murray on the Genus Cercyon. 



For the more easy understanding these distinctions I annex a 

 Plate (PI. IV.), showing the under side of the diflferent genera 

 composing the Geophilida, copied from Mulsant's figures in the 

 ' Palpicornes de France.' 



Cyclonotum, Dej., Erich. 



Hydrophilus, Fab., Herbst, Marsh,, Steph. 

 Ccelostoma, Brulle, De Casteln. 



C. orbiculare, Fab., Erich., Heer, Steph., &c. 



Subhemispheric, above brilliant black, closely covered with 

 punctures, which are smaller on the head and thorax than on the 

 elytra. The elytra have a single stria next the suture shortened 

 anteriorly ; iinder side of body, thighs and legs of a brown black, 

 tarsi livid testaceous. 



Var. B. C. Allabroix, De Casteln. Upper side of body brown- 

 black, and gradually brownish yellow on the margins of the 

 prothorax and elytra. 



Length li to 2| lines; breadth ] to 2 lines. 



In general appearance this species approaches nearest to the 

 Hydrobii ; like the most of them it is densely punctured all over, 

 and has a single sutural stria, but is at once distinguished from 

 them by the first article of the posterior tarsi being longer than 

 the second, which, as already mentioned, is the character which 

 separates this group from the Hydrophilidce. It has also some 

 resemblance to the Cercyons, more particularly C ohsoletum^ 

 Muls., which is about the same size, but is easily recognized by 

 its having no striae on the elytra except the sutural, while all the 

 Cercyons are marked with ten or eleven strise. 



It is a water insect, and is found in stagnant water or under 

 the debris on the margins of lakes and ponds. Found both in 

 England and Scotland, but not very common. 



SPHiERIDIUM, Fab. 



Dermestes, Schrank, Fourc, Marsh. 



Sph. scarabaoides, Linn., Fab. 

 A-maculatus, Schrank. 



Body above of a shining black, densely punctured ; prothorax 

 a fifth or a fourth longer in its middle than at the sides ; elytra 

 with a red mark behind the shoulder, and a semicircular reddish 

 yellow blotch at the apex ; under side of body and of legs nut- 

 brown. 



The $ is distinguished from the ? by having the last article of 



