Attagenus.] CLAVICORNIA. 359 



ATTAGENUS, Latreillc. 



This genus contains about fifty species, of which about half are found 

 in Europe ; the remainder are widely distributed, representatives 

 occurring in Abyssinia, Ceylon, Cape of Good Hope, North and South 

 America, &c. 



The larva of A. pellio has been described and figured by several authors ; it is 

 rather long and cylindrical, broad in front and considerably narrowed to apex, which 

 is furnished with a long tuft of hairs ; the rest of the upper surface is also more or 

 less hairy ; the colour is brown or reddish-brown above and paler below ; the motions 

 of this larva are irregular, and it proceeds by fits and starts, a peculiarity well 

 expressed by the French word " saccade." 



There are three species reputed as British ; one is very common, but 

 the other two are doubtfully indigenous ; as, however, they are usually 

 included in our catalogues, I have not excluded them. 



I. Elytra black or pitchy with a distinct white spot in 



middle of each near suture A. PELLIO, L. 



II. Elytra unicolorous black or pitchy A. MEGATOMA, F. 



III. Elytra fuscous black with three transverse flexuous 

 bauds interrupted at suture, a patch at apex, and a 



minute round spot on each side of scutellum, whitish . A. TEIFASCIATTS, F. 



(verbasci, auct.) 



A. pellio, L. Oblong-oval, rather convex, black, clothed with short 

 brownish pubescence ; head rather strongly punctured, ocellus distinct, 

 antennae short, red, with dark club ; thorax transverse, narrowed from 

 base to apex, closely but distinctly punctured, with a spot of white 

 pubescence in centre of base and at each of the posterior angles ; 

 elytra black with a very distinct spot of dense white pubescence on 

 either side of suture about middle ; under-side black, covered with 

 yellowish-grey pubescence ; legs black with tarsi ferruginous, sometimes 

 entirely red. L. 4-5 mm. 



Male with joints 9-10 of the antennae very small, last joint very long, 

 nearly as long as the rest of the antenna ; female with joints 9-10 

 together about equal to the last joint. 



In skin?, furs, natural history collections, &c. ; usually in houses j occasionally in 

 hen-coops, pigeon-cotes, &c. ; common and generally distributed throughout the 

 greater part of England, but apparently, like all the Dermesticlse, rarer in the north ; 

 Scotland, rare, Forth district only; Ireland, near Dublin. 



(A. meg-atoma, F. (piceus, Ol.). This insect appears to be allied 

 to the preceding, but, according to Mr. Wollaston, who has taken the 

 only British example known, " its average smaller size, narrower shape, 

 unspotted surface, and (in the male) the very long apical joint of the 

 antennae, at once separate it from the common A. yellio " ; as a matter 

 of fact, however, the last joint of the antennae appears to be longer iu 

 proportion in A. pellio, but the other characters will easily distinguish 

 it ; the legs are red. L. 3-4 mm. 



