Mcligetlies.'} CLAVICORNIA. 241 



determined with accuracy unless they are compared with authentic 

 types ; the genus as a whole is marked by the denticulate anterior 

 tibiae, taken in conjunction with the produced prosternum ; in my "notes 

 on the genus (Ent. Monthly Mag. xxi. p. 213 217) I have at some 

 length discussed the chief characters on which distinctions between 

 species have been founded, and have especially pointed out that Keitter's 

 character depending on the straightness or emargination of the anterior 

 margin of the forehead, although useful in some cases, is practically very 

 inconvenient, and as regards our fauna is virtually useless. As the 

 species are very numerous, and in many points closely resemble one 

 another, it will perhaps be of advantage to enumerate some of the chief 

 characters to avoid repetition : General form subquadrate, or more or 

 less ovate ; upper surface with, more or less distinct greyish or dark 

 pubescence ; head small, triangular ; mandibles short, rather broad, but 

 sharp, furnished with one or two small inconspicuous teeth near apex ; 

 antennae short, with the first joint considerably thickened, terminating in 

 a compact round three-jointed club ; antenna! furrows on the under-side 

 of the head well marked, straight and parallel ; thorax always trans- 

 verse, sometimes very strongly (as in M. picipes), at other times slightly 

 (as in M. nanus), finely margined at sides, about as broad at base as 

 elytra ; abdomen with the first free segment as long as the three 

 following, which are of equal length ; fifth segment longer, with two 

 rounded impressions ; last segment of abdomen and metasternum fur- 

 nished, especially in male, with varying depressions, keels, or prominences, 

 which often afford very useful characters. In size the species range 

 from 1mm. to 3-a-mm.; as a rule they are about 2 mm. in length. 

 The colour is usually black, sometimes very shiny, sometimes dull or 

 leaden; several species have a bluish or greenish (occasionally a bronze 

 or purple) metallic lustre ; none, however, of the British species are red 

 or testaceous (like the continental M. fuscus), except a variety of M . 

 rufipeSf which is of a dark ferruginous colour ; a mahogany-coloured 

 tinge is sometimes present on the purple varieties of M. ceneus. Next to 

 the denticulation of the anterior tibia? the degree of punctuation and 

 cross striation or reticulation between the punctures appears to afford the 

 best determining character ; sometimes the latter takes the form of very 

 fine alutaceous network covering the whole of the body, sometimes of 

 coarse transverse scratches ; occasionally it is confined to the elytra, and 

 is absent on the thorax ; and in one of our species (M. murinus) it is 

 peculiar to the scutellum ; in some cases only very slight traces are 

 visible, which are often so feeble that the interstices are, for purposes of 

 subdivision, conveniently regarded as quite smooth. In all cases a com- 

 pound microscope with at least a one-inch objective is required for the 

 examination of this character. 



Reitter in his "Revision, der Europaischen Meligethes-Arten " (a work 

 indispensable to any student of the genus) divides the genus MeligetJies 

 into three sub-genera, as follows : 31eligethes, containing the bulk of the 



VOL. III. R 



