Ojiatrina.'] HETEROMERA. 9 



species ; of these two genera represented by two species are indigenous 

 to Britain. 



I. Last joint of maxillary palpi securiform ; posterior coxae 

 more distant, with the portion of the first abdominal seg- 

 ment included between them truncate at apex OPATBUJI, F. 



II. Last joint of maxillary palpi ovate ; posterior coxae less 

 distant, with the portion of the first abdominal segment 

 included between them pointed MICROZOUM, Redt. 



OPATRUM, Fabricius. (Hopatrum. auct.) 



Tbis is a large arid extensive genus, containing upwards of one hun- 

 dred and fifty species, of wbicb twenty-five are found in Europe, and 

 tbe remainder are very widely distributed, species occurring in Siberia, 

 Japan, Ceylon, Madagascar, the Cape of Good Hope, the Gaboon dis- 

 trict, St. Helena, Java, the Australian region, &c.; it does not, how- 

 ever, appear to be represented in North or South America ; the species 

 are scabrous and, for the most part, dull and obscure insects, and are 

 found in sandy places, especially near the coast ; they appear to be 

 variab'e in several pointa. 



The larva and pupa of 0. sabulosum are described and figured by Schiodte (I.e. 

 pp. 541, 585, pi. vii. figr. 15, 20) ; they much resemble those of Crypticus, but are 

 somewhat broader, and the plates at tbe sides of the pupa are less plainly dentate and 

 set with shorter setae ; the colour of the larva is fuscous above and pale beneath, 

 with the mandibles and the apex of the claws pitchy. 



O. sabulosum, Gyll. Oblong-oval, dull black, rough, often en- 

 crusted with sand and mud, not very convex ; Lead transverse, much 

 narrower than thorax, antennae short and stout, much thickened towards 

 apex, with the penultimate joints transverse, maxillary J alpi with the 

 last joint securiform ; thorax transverse, with the sides slightly rounded, 

 posterior angles projecting, very closely granulate ; scutellum rather 

 large ; elytra with irregular rows of strong tubercles placed more or 

 less widely apart ; interstices very closely granulate ; legs stout and 

 robust, anterior tibiae dilated, fossorial. L. 6-7 mm. 



Male with the first three segments of the abdomen slightly impressed 

 in middle. 



Sandy places on the coast ; locally common ; Southend ; Wliitstable ; Clacton- 

 on-Sta; Hastings; Deal; Dover; Brighton; Portsmouth district ; Isle of Wight, 

 Sandown, &c. ; Chesil Beach; Devon, general; Liverpool district ; it appears to be 

 common all along the south-eastern and southern counties of England, but has not 

 been recorded from Scotland or Ireland ; it is an extremely strong and stout insect, 

 and very tenacious of life. 



IKICROZOUXK, Redtenbacher. 



The members of this genus considerably resemble the preceding, but 

 are smaller and less roughly sculptured ; they may be known from 



