BracJiypterus.'] OLAVICOBNIA. 221 



BHACHYPTZRUS, Kugelann. 



Tliis genus, taken in its widest sense as including Heterostomus, Duv., 

 JBrachyleptu8,-%Lots. } and Brachypterus, i. sp., contains about thirty or 

 forty species, which are widely distributed throughout the world, repre- 

 sentatives occurring in the Atlantic Islands, South Africa, North and 

 Central America, Australia, &c.; seventeen species occur in Europe, of 

 which three are found in Britain ; externally they much resemble 

 MeligetJies, from which they may at once be known by having the last 

 segments of the abdomen exposed and not covered by the elytra. 



I. Size larger; elytra about one-third longer than thorax . B. G-EAVIDUS, III. 

 II. Size smaller ; elytra nearly twice as long as thorax. 



i. Colour leaden black ; legs and antennae pitchy . . . . B. PTTBESCENS, jEr. 

 ii. Colour reddish-brown ; legs and antennae rufous B. UBTIC.E, Kug. 



B. gravidus, 111. (Cateretes pullcarius, Gyll. ; linarice, Steph. ; 

 Heterostomus gravidus Duv.). Convex, rather broad, of a dull black 

 colour, clothed with brownish grey pubescence, upper surface very 

 closely punctured ; antennas red ; thorax almost broader than elytra, 

 with sides rounded and narrowed in front, base bisinuate, posterior 

 angles somewhat projecting ; scutellum large, triangular; elytra a third 

 longer than thorax; legs red, intermediate and posterior pairs often 

 blackish. L. 2f-3 mm. 



Local, but not uncommon in many districts ; on the common toad-flax, Linarla 

 vmlgaris ; London district, rather common ; Chatham, Mickleham, Cbobham, 

 Belvedere, Shiere, Reigate ; Maidstone ; Brandon, Suffolk ; Birchington ; Dover ; 

 Deal ; Folkestone ; Southampton ; Winchester ; Portland ; Burwell Feu ; Twyford, 

 near Repton ; Huustauton ; Wallasey, Cheshire; Northumberland district, Hetton 

 Hall, near Be'.ford ; not recorded from Scotland. 



In the European catalogue of Heyden, Eeitter, and Weise, B. gravidus, 

 111., and ~B. linarice, Steph., are given as separate species ; we certainly 

 do not possess more than one species of the sub-genus Heterostomus as 

 British, and Erichson and other authors have always considered them 

 identical. 



B. pubescens, Er. (Cateretes urticce, var a., 111. ; gldber, Newm.). 

 Much smaller than the preceding ; leaden black, with legs and antennae 

 pitchy; thorax about as broad as elytra, plainly transverse, truncate in 

 front and behind, rather thickly punctured, posterior angles bluntly 

 rounded ; scutellum semicircular, punctured ; elytra nearly twice as 

 long as thorax, rather thickly punctured ; legs rather long. L. 2 mm. 



Generally distributed and common throughout the midland and southern districts 

 of England, but less common further north ; Scotland, rare, Solway district ; it is 

 found chiefly on nettles. 



B. urticac, Kug. Very like the preceding, but easily distinguished 

 by its reddish-brown colour, and thinner pubescence, which causes it to 

 appear more shiny ; the legs and antennae are rufous ; the elytra are 



