340 CLAVICOBNIA. [Atomaria. 



A. pusilla, Payk. A very small species, which may at once be kiicnvn 

 by its minute size ; oblong-oval, subdepressed, very finely and closely 

 punctured, clothed with short and fine pale pubescence ; colour very 

 variable, the elytra presenting all shades from black or dark fuscous with 

 extreme apex testaceous to entirely testaceous ; the thorax, however, is 

 more or less rufous and usually reddish-testaceous ; antennae moderately 

 long and stout ; thorax transverse, plainly rounded at sides, basal margin 

 raised before scutellum, transverse basal impression not deep; elytra 

 feebly widened in middle, subparallel, obsoletely punctured ; breast and 

 usually the whole of the abdomen brownish ; legs testaceous or clear 

 yellow. L. | 1 mm. 



In moss, haystack refuse, &c. ; occasionally by evening sweeping ; not uncommon, 

 and widely distributed throughout England ; Scotland, not common, Lowlands, Solway, 

 Tweed, and Forth districts ; Ireland, Dublin and co. Cork, and probably generally 

 distributed. 



This species, from the variety in its colour, has been separated into 

 several so-called " species ; " it represents the following species of 

 Stephens' 111. Brit. Ent. pp. 64, 65, 66 : A. fulvicollis, thoracica, eva- 

 nescens, phceogaster, basella, and castanea. 



A. atricapilla, Steph. (nigriceps, Er.) Oblong-ovate, entirely tes- 

 taceous with the scutellary region and vertex of head usually obscurely 

 darker ; the abdomen also is, as a rule, dark, but the insect is somewhat 

 variable in this respect ; the breast is always black or fuscous ; antennae 

 moderately long, testaceous ; thorax transverse, rather deeply and dis- 

 tinctly punctured, with the basal margin gently raised, sides rounded ; 

 elytra slightly widened in middle, with punctuation fine towards base, 

 obsolete towards apex ; legs testaceous. L. li mm. 



In haystack and vegetable refuse generally; common and generally distributed 

 throughout the kingdom. 



A. berolinensis, Kr. Oblong-ovate, somewhat deeply punctured, 

 with the elytra and thorax separately and rather strongly convex, so 

 that the line of separation between them is strongly marked if viewed 

 sideways; the colour of normal specimen's is-rufo-testaceous with the 

 head, thorax, scutellary region and outer margin of elytra, especially 

 towards shoulders, more or less infuscate ; the species is, however, more 

 usually rufo-testaceous with the darker markings scarcely pronounced, 

 and is sometimes entirely testaceous ; these latter specimens bear a 

 close resemblance at first sight to A. atricapilla, but the larger, broader, 

 and more convex form, deeper punctuation, and squarer and more largely 

 developed thorax will easily distinguish them. L. 1| mm. 



In haystack and vegetable refuse, &c. ; local; London district, rather common, 

 Shirley, Twickenham, West Wickham, Lee, Sevenoaks, Sheerness, Tonhridge; 

 Ratting* j Gosport ; The Holt, Farnham ; Gloucestershire; Tintern, near Monmouth ; 

 Knowle; Northamptonshire; Kepton ; Fhunborough and Scarborough, Yorkshire; 



