36 HETEROMERA. [Ol'dietio. 



Brazil, Chili, &c. ; in its narrow sense it only includes two or three of 

 the European species, which may be known by having the eyes very 

 large and almost meeting behind on vertex, the rather stout club of the 

 antennae, the strongly enlarged securiform last joint of the maxillary 

 palpi, and the more distinct spurs of the anterior tibiie. 



The larva and pupa of O. micans are described and figured hy Schiodte (xi. up. 582, 

 587, tab. xviii. 15, 26) and Westwood (Classification, i. p. 308, fit,'. 35, 23, 25) ; the 

 larva is almost linear, iibout six times as long as broad, with only the bead, dorsal 

 segments of thorax and the legs corneous; the general colour is whitish, with the bead 

 pale yellow, the frontal margin and mandibles being ferruginous ; the head is rath r 

 large, but much narrower than the prothorax, and the antennae sire very minute ; the 

 last segment is narrower than the preceding, without margins, almo-t seniirirnilar, 

 and quite simple at apex ; the pupa is remarkable for having the prothor:iric shield 

 dilated on each side, and covering the head, and furnished with strong " stvli motorii," 

 each terminated by a fine seta, and also for the size of the rudimentary elytra, whii h 

 entirely cover the bind legs; the apex is terminated by a bunch of rather sharp 

 more or less curved protuberances. 



As remarked by Professor Westwood, the insect, in its early stages, 

 differs considerably from the typical Melandryida3, and approaches 

 Mordella, which latter genus it resembles in its shape and the curious 

 skipping shrimp-like motions of the imago ; in other points, however, 

 it presents closer affinities with the Melandryidae, although it may 

 perhaps be regarded as a genus somewhat intermediate. 



O. micans, Panz. (picea, Herbst.). Elongate, not very shining, 

 thickly clothed with short shining silky yellowish pubescence, fuscous 

 or pitchy brown, gradually lighter towards apex, under-side pitchy or 

 reddish-brown ; head small, eyes very large approximate on vertex, an- 

 tenme short, with the last joints forming a fusiform club ; thorax almost 

 semicircular, sinuate and slightly impressed on each side at base, very 

 closely and finely punctured; elytra at base as broad as thorax, very 

 gradually narrowed behind, obtusely rounded at apex, raised at suture, 

 with very fine and close, somewhat asperate, sculpture ; legs ferruginous 

 or brownish-yellow, first joint of posterior tarsi about as long as all the 

 following. L. 3-4 mm. 



Male with the anterior tar.ii dilated, and the club of the antennae 

 larger. 



In fungoid growth on old trees; local and, as a rule, not common ; Darenth Wood ; 

 Westerham, Kent, bred from a hard fungus on beei-h (?) in abundance, Gorham ; 

 Cowley ; Chiugford ; Cobham ; Dover; New Forest; Swansea; Llaugollen ; Bur- 

 mouth ; Cambridge ; Repton ; Northumberland and Durham district " bred from a 

 fungus (Polyporus radiatus) growing on alder near Wooler," J. Hardy ; Scotland, 

 Tay district, Aviemore. 



Small light-coloured varieties occasional!} 7 occur; the species is some- 

 what variable both in size and colour. In Dr. Power's collection there 

 is one of these varieties taken in some numbers by Turner in agarics at 

 Windsor ; I thought it might possibly be a different species, but Herr 

 Reitter considers it to be merely a variety. 



