Jthagonycha.] SERRICORNIA. 145 



Male with the antennae longer than in female, the head broader and 

 the eyes more prominent; the third joint of the antennae, also, is some- 

 what longer in proportion. 



On Scotch fir; local, and only found in Scotland in the Tay, Dee, and Moray 

 districts. 



It seems rather douhtf ul whether we possess S. atra as British ; this 

 species appears to be very closely allied to R. elongafa, but to be rather 

 smaller on the average, with the thorax somewhat transverse, and the 

 pubescence of the elytra more scanty; there are also said to be differences 

 in the colour of the base of the antennae and legs, but these differences 

 are certainly presented by specimens of R. elongata ; the species is said 

 by Thomson to occur on the spruce fir (" p& barren af Gran "), whereas 

 R. elongata occurs on the pine or Scotch fir (" p& barren af Fur"). 



MAZiTKZNUS, Latreille. 



This genus contains about fifty or sixty species, which are chiefly 

 found in Europe and the circum- Mediterranean region ; representatives, 

 however, have occurred in Siberia, Ceylon, South America, &c. ; they 

 closely resemble the species of the succeeding genus, and like them have 

 the t-lytra much abbreviated, with the apex, as a rule, sulphureous 

 yellow, and the wings exposed ; they differ in having the mandibles 

 armed with a tooth on their inner margin, the insertion of the antennae 

 at some distance from the eyes, and the close and rugose punctuation of 

 the vertex of the head and the greater part of thorax; the integument 

 in the species of both genera is very soft and fragile ; the insects are 

 found on trees and shrubs, and are very active, taking to wing very 

 rapidly, and soon escaping unless quickly captured; of the thirty-seven 

 European species of Malthinus four are found in Britain. 



I. Apex of elytra of a bright sulphureous yellow colour. 

 i. Elytra with very obsolete ly punctured stria) ; length 



4^-5 J mm M. BtraCTATtrs, Fourc. 



(jlaveolus, Payk.) 



ii. Elytra with distinct and rather strongly punctured 

 stria) ; length 3-3$ mm. 



1. PosUrior legs yellow ; general colour lighter . . M. FASCTATCB, Ol. 



2. Posterior legs fuscous ; general colour darker . . M. BALTIATUS, S*ffir. 



II. Elytra black, unicolorous, obsoletely punctured . . M. FBOXTALIS, Marth. 



M. punctatuB, Fourc. (flaveolut, Payk.). Rather a large species ; 

 head Urge, strongly contracted behind eyes, which are prominent, vertex 

 black, rugosely punctured, front broadly yellow, antennae slender, 

 reaching to about the apex of the elytra, fuscous or yellowish-brown 

 with light base; thorax longer than broad, rugosely punctured, with a 

 fovea before base, posterior angles marked; scutellum yellow; elytra 

 broader than thorax, greyish, with the base and suture and a spot before 

 apex darker, apex sulphureous yellow, punctuation fine and obsolete ; 



VOL. IV. L 





