78 Mr. A. Murray on the Genus Cercyon. 



Var. D. Sph. scarabceoides, Sturm. 



Elytra marked with a subhumeral red blotch more or less de- 

 cided, without any blotch at the extremity ; /3. as in the type ; 

 7. elytra sometimes marked with striated rows of punctures. 



Var. E. Sph. marginatum, Fab., Payk., Gyll., Curtis, Steph. 

 syn. &c. 

 scarabceoides, lUig. var. /5. ; Sturm, var. e. &, g. \ 

 Schon. var. y. ; Lat. var. D. 

 A-maculatum, Steph. 

 Daltoni, Steph. 



Upper side of body entirely black, with the outer edge of 

 the prothorax and elytra red or yellowish red ; /3. prothorax or 

 elytra, sometimes one and sometimes the other, without a red 

 border on the sides; S. elytra offering rarely slight traces of 

 striated rows of punctures. 



Length If to 3^ lines; breadth 1^ to If line. 



This species varies much in colour. Commonly it is entirely 

 black above, with the exception of the yellowish border. The 

 variations offer all the gradations between the varieties cited 

 above. 



It differs from the preceding species in its smaller size, in its 

 prothorax being more sinuous at its base, and more sensibly 

 curved behind at its posterior angles. The black blotch on the 

 middle of the thigh, though not always to be trusted to, gene- 

 rally gives a ready indication of the species. 



Heer describes two species of Sphceridium as being found very 

 rarely in Switzerland ; one, S. striolatum, Heer, distinguished 

 from scarabceoides by its more convex form and the punctuation 

 of the elytra being a little deeper, and the elytra striolated along 

 the suture at the scutellum ; and the other, S. testaceum, Heer, 

 distinguished from marginatum by being wholly testaceous and 

 smaller and more finely punctate. I am inclined to doubt if 

 either of these is a good species. 



Cercyon, Leach. 



Spharidium, Gyll., Oliv., Payk. 

 Dermestes, Marsh. 

 Hydrophilus, Fab. 



Div. 1. Mesosternal plate visibly detached at its posterior extremity from 

 the metasternum. 

 A. Intervals between the strije on the elytra visibly punctate. 



C obsoleium, Gyll., Steph., Muls. 



lugubre, Oliv., Lat., Marsh, (not Erich., Heer, Muls.). 

 atomariwn, Payk. (not Steph,). 



