Hyperaspis.] CLAVICORNIA. 169 



occasionally found by sweeping: under fir-trees ; local, and, as a rule, rather scarce ; 

 Esher, Mickleham, Shirley, Box Hill, Chobham, Sheerness ; Hastings; Seaford, 

 Sussex ; Holm Bush, Brighton ; New Forest ; Devon ; Llyfnant Valley, near Borth, 

 Cardiganshire ; Barmouth ; Windsor Forest ; Bewdley ; Staffordshire ; Chat Moss ; 

 Withingtcn, Cheshire ; Scarborough ; Scotland, local, amongst moss in plantations 

 of larch and fir, Solway, Forth, Clyde, Tay, Argyle, and Moray districts. 



SCYBTNUS, Kugelann. 



This genus is a very large and extensive one ; upwards of two hundred 

 and fifty species have already been described, and it is probable that this 

 is far from representing the total number ; they are small, and, as a 

 rule, very inconspicuous insects, and in many cases are difficult to deter- 

 mine ; they are distinguished by their plainly pubescent surface and very 

 short antennse ; they are closely related to Platynaspis, but the clypeus 

 does not extend in front of the eyes as in that genus ; from Hyperaspis 

 they may be known by the pubescence of the upper surface ; in spite of 

 their small size, as Mulsant remarks, they are devourers of aphides both 

 in the larval and perfect state ; the larva both of Scymnus and Platynaspis 

 is not furnished with rows of spines as is the case with most of the other 

 CoccinellidaB, but is covered with a white substance like minute flocks 

 of wool ; Reaumur was the first to observe this, and designated the larvae 

 as " Herissons blancs " or " Barlets blancs ;" this substance is easily 

 rubbed off, but the insect has the power of renewing it again within 

 twelve hours (v. Mulsant, Securipalpes, pp. 211, 212). There are forty- 

 five European species of Scymnus, of which fourteen occur in Britain ; 

 in determining the species the shape of the post-coxal foveae and the 

 continuance, interruption, and direction of the raised lines surrounding 

 them are very important characters, but are somewhat hard to observe 

 without removing the posterior legs ; I have therefore made as little use 

 of them as possible in the following table; in many of the species the 

 sexes differ considerably in the coloration of the head and thorax. 



I. Posterior COXER not very widely separated. 

 i. Fost-coxal fovese with raised sides incomplete. 



1. Anterior coxa3 widely distant; size, as a 



rule, smaller, (s.g. Nephus, Muls.) * 



A. Each elytron with two orange-yellow 



spots S. PTTLCHELLtrs, Herlst. 



(quadrilunulatus, 111.) 



B. Elytra unicolorous hlack, or furnished 



with a longitudinal reddish patch on 



each S. REDTENBACHERI, Muls. 



2. Anterior coxae lessjdistant ; size, as a rule, 



larger. (Scymnus, i. sp.) * 

 A. Elytra unicolorous black. 



a. Legs dark brown, pitchy P NIGBIKUS, Kug. 



* Mulsant separates the genns Nephus from Scymnus on the relative distance of 

 the " abdominal plates " of the first ventral segment from the side margin. 



