Scymmis.] CLAVICORNIA. 171 



standing under the name of limhatus ; they are smaller and more 

 elongate than the species standing in our collections as S. Mulsanti^N&i., 

 but otherwise are extremely like that insect ; they were probably taken 

 in the neighbourhood of Scarborough. 



V. unicolor, Weise. This variety has the elytra unicolorous black ; 

 it does not appear to have occurred in Britain ; according to Mulsant it 

 is the normal form. 



S. nigrinus, Kug. (morio, Payk. ; s.g. Anisoscymnus, Crotch). 

 Short oval, convex, not very shining, entirely black with the exception 

 of the antennae and tnrsi which are lighter or darker reddish-brown ; 

 pubescence fuscous ; thorax very finely, elytra less finely, punctured ; 

 elytra obtusely rounded at apex, with shoulders rather strongly marked. 

 L. lf-2 mm. . 



Male with the fifth segment of abdomen somewhat truncate and thickly 

 pubescent, female with the same segment rounded. 



On the Scotch fir; very local; London district, not common, Chatham, Birch 

 Wood, Weybridge ; Cannock Chase ; Repton ; Chat Moss ; Hykeham, near Lincoln 

 (abundant) ; Northumberland district, Gosforth and Hetton Hall, near Belford ; 

 Scotland, local, Solway, Forth, Tay and Dee districts. 



S. pygmsous, Fourc. (rulromaculatus, Goeze;femoralis, Gyll. ; s.g. 

 Anisoscymnus, Crotch). Short oval, subhemispherical, plainly pubes- 

 cent, shining, black, with the labrum antennae and legs testaceous, 

 femora usually dark at base in female ; in the male the head, and the 

 thorax, with the exception of a black patch before scutellum, is reddish- 

 yellow ; in the female these parts are entirely black ; the elytra are 

 always unicolorous black ; the thorax is very transverse and finely 

 punctured, and the elytra are somewhat dilated before middle and thence 

 narrowed to apex, and are less finely punctured than the thorax ; the 

 species is closely related to S. capitatus, but may at once be known by 

 having the abdomen and pygidium entirely black. L. 1| 1 f mm. 



Male with the fifth ventral segment of abdomen slightly emarginate 

 at apex, female with the same segment rounded. 



Chalky and sandy places, at roots of grass and by sweeping herbage ; local ; 

 London district, widely distributed and not uncommon ; Deal ; Dover ; Glanvilles 

 Wootton ; Devon ; Coleshill ; Knowle ; Scarborough ; Hartlepool ; not recorded 

 from Scotland. 



S. frontalis; F. (s.g. Anisoscymnus, Crotch). The largest of the 

 British species ; oval, plainly pubescent, moderately convex and rather 

 shining ; elytra black with a large round spot on each before middle, 

 which is sometimes variable or divided, but is usually round and 

 distinct; occasionally it is wanting (V. immaculatns, Suff.); in the 

 male the head and a spot at the anterior angles of thorax are yellow, 

 in the female the head and thorax are entirely black ; elytra very 

 closely and finely punctured ; legs yellow, femora more or less dark. 

 L. 2i-2| mm. 



