386 CLA.VICORNIA. \_Heterocerus. 



colour and by having the transverse yellowish waved band on the elytra 

 behind middle interrupted, its apical portion forming a rhombus-shaped 

 spot ; the antennae and legs are red-yellow ; the elytra are unevenly 

 punctured as in H . arenarius ; as above remarked, the colour distinctions 

 in this genus appear to be of little value ; immature specimens of H. 

 femoralis are brown, and have the legs entirely or almost entirely testa- 

 ceous. L. 4 mm. 



Recorded by Haliday from Ireland, and introduced by Mr. Crotch in 

 his British catalogue ; the latter author, however, afterwards came to 

 the conclusion that the Irish specimens did not differ substantially 

 from H. femoralis ; Mr. W. G. Blatch records it from Weymouth, Chesil 

 Beach, otherwise I should have omitted it.*) 



H. obsoletus, Curt. Bather broad and depressed, subovate, black, 

 clothed with upright, somewhat woolly, blackish-brown pubescence, 

 intermingled with short greyish hairs which are thicker on the head 

 and sides of thorax ; antennae brown ; thorax as broad behind as elytra, 

 narrowed in front, thickly and finely punctured, with a reddish-brown 

 spot at anterior angles, posterior angles sharply margined ; elytra finely 

 but distinctly punctured, with irregular yellowish spots and patches ; 

 legs black (except in immature specimens), tarsi pitchy-red ; ridge on 

 first abdominal segment quite smooth in both sexes. L. 4-5 mm. 



Male with the head larger and the mandibles elongate. 



Banks of brackish ditches ; occasionally in tidal refuse and decaying sea-weed ; 

 local; London district, not uncommon, Gravesend, Sheerness, Chatham; Pegwell 

 Bay ; Swansea ; Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire (Chappell). 



The broad oblong form and usually dark colour will separate this 

 from all our other species. 



H. marg-inatus, F. Oblong oval, somewhat convex, black, clothed 

 with fine erect fuscous pubescence, intermingled with short greyish 

 hairs which are thicker at sides of thorax ; antennae brown with the 

 first joint yellow ; thorax somewhat narrower than elytra, contracted 

 in front, very finely punctured, distinctly margined at posterior angles, 

 with the side margins and anterior angles often, but not always, 

 yellowish ; elytra finely punctured, rather more shining and less pubes- 

 cent than in H. Icevigatus, with irregular yellowish bands and spots ; 

 legs brown, femora before apex reddish, tarsi brown-red ; ridge on first 

 abdominal segment with a notch in front. L. 3|-4 mm. 



Sexual differences not apparent.. 



Banks of ponds and ditches ; local, but not uncommon, especially near the coast, 

 in England and Wales ; Lee, Mickleham, Forest Hill, Sydenham, Maidstone, Hanwell, 



* Since I wrote the above, Mr. Blatch has informed me that after carefully re- 

 examining his specimens ho has come to the conclusion that they are probably a 

 variety of H. femoralis ; it appears, therefore, dou btful whether the species (if it be 

 a true species) is found in Britain. 



