C2 CLAVICORNIA. [Choleva. 



latter rather depressed with sides gently rounded ; elytra rather long, 

 more distinctly sculptured than thorax, with scarcely a trace of striae, 

 with the sides subparallel, evenly and slightly rounded ; legs ferruginous 

 red, with the femora, or at all events the posterior ones darker. 

 L. 3|-3f mm. 



In haystack refuse, dead birds, fungi, Ac. ; not common although somewhat widely 

 distributed ; London district, rather rare, Sheerness, Clmtham, Lee, Shirley, C.iterhain, 

 Barnes, Coombe Wood, Ashstead ; Bewdley ; Coleshill ; Sutton Park ; Alcester ; 

 Sherwood ; Kepton ; Liverpool and Manchester district ; Northumberland district, 

 rare, in moss, in shady woods, Wellington (Power) ; Scotland, rare, Solway, Tweed, 

 and Clyde districts ; Ireland, Portmarnock, &c. 



C. grandicollis, Er. This species bears some resemblance to C. tristis, 

 and by one or two authors has been considered to be a variety of that 

 species ; it is however easily distinguished by its broader and more ovate 

 form, and especially by its large and ample thorax, which is fully as 

 broad as elytra, or even broader in the middle than the elytra at base ; 

 the colour is blackish or blackish-brown ; head and thorax thickly 

 punctured, covered with distinct yellowish pubescence ; antennae mode- 

 rately long, gradually thickened, reddish, darker towards apex ; thorax 

 very transverse, with sides strongly rounded, posterior angles obtuse ; 

 elytra ovate, broad, convex, thickly sculptured, with a purplish-grey 

 bloom, and yellowish pubescence along the base, which is not very distinct 

 in many cases ; legs ferruginous with femora, at all events the posterior 

 ones, darker. L. 3|-4 mm. 



In carcases, haystack refuse, vegetable and flood rubbish, &c. ; local, but rather 

 widely distributed throughout England and the greater part of Scotland ; Ireland, 

 near Waterford, and probably generally distributed. 



C. nigrita, Er. (qffinis, Steph.). Oblong-oval, black ; antennae 

 with joints 1-6 ferruginous, and the rest brown, except the last, which is 

 yellowish-red, but sometimes, especially in dried specimens, appears to 

 be unicolorous with the penultimate joints ; thorax hardly half as broad 

 again as long, slightly variable, but as a rule broadest in middle, with 

 posterior angles either slightly pointed, or right angles, or even somewhat 

 obtuse,* clothed with yellowish pubescence ; elytra finely punctured, with 

 yellowish pubescence at base, and a purplish bloom on the rest of their 

 surface ; legs ferruginous, posterior femora sometimes darker. L. 

 3^-4 mm. 



In moss, fungi, carcases, &c. ; occasionally by sweeping ; not uncommon and widely 

 distributed throughout England ; recorded by Bold as not uncommon in the North- 

 umberland district beneath dead birds, &c. ; it is however scarce in Scotland, and has 

 been found in the Forth district only ; it is probably not uncommon in Ireland. 



This species is very closely allied to C. tristis, but has the antennae 



* This point is discussed by Murray, Monograph of the genns Catops, page 35, note; 

 it is the variability in points that are regarded as distinguishing characters that causes 

 the confusion in this group of the genus. 



