40 HETEROMEKA. [Serropalpus. 



SERROPALPUS, Hellenius.) 



This mentis contains four species, two of which are found in Chili, 

 and the other two, which appear now to be classed together, in Europe ; 

 S. barbatus (gtriahu) also occurs in North America, where it has been 

 described as S. obsoletus, Hald. The following are the chief characteristics 

 of the genus : Head vertical, eyes large, coarsely granulate, labrum small, 

 mandibles short and stout ; antennae long, not shorter than half the body, 

 11 -jointed, with the second joint the smallest; maxillary palpi serrate, 

 lar^e, with the fourth joint lunate ; thorax narrower at apbx than at 

 base, with the posterior angles acute and the sides not margined in 

 front ; scutellum truncate at apex ; prostemum short before anterior coxae; 

 mesosternum as long as intermediate coxae ; elytra with more or less 

 distinct striae ; posterior legs long, with the tarsi longer than the 

 tibiae. 



S. barbatus, Schall. (striatus, Hellen.). Elongate, parallel-sided, 

 convex, dull, thickly clothed with pale pubescence, entirely brown with 

 the antennae and legs testaceous ; thorax narrowed in iront, very closely 

 punctured ; scutellum truncate at apex ; elytra long, with more or less 

 distinct striae, interstices rugosely punctured. L. 12-16 mm. 



Under bark of spruce fir; found in Norway and Sweden, France, Prussia, Austria, 

 and Bavaria, and perhaps a native of Britain ; only two specimens have, however, been 

 hitherto recorded, one taken in a warehouse in Leicester by Mr. I. Plant (v. Ent. 

 Ann. 1872, 76), and another recorded by Mr. Hlundell of Luton in 1882 (Entomologist, 

 xv. 286), as probably taken near Newmarket. Mr. Blundell kindly wrote to me 

 with regard to the latter capture ; the insect may possibly have been indigenous, but 

 in all probability was an imported specimen, as it is hardly possible that so con- 

 spicuous a species would have escaped observation, if it had established itself in the 

 middle of England, and uo further specimens have occurred. 



, F. 



This, the typical species of the family, contains about seven species, 

 which are confined to Europe, Northern Asia, and North America ; three 

 are found in Europe, of which two occur in Britain, one of these being 

 extremely rare ; they are large or moderately large dark-coloured insects, 

 with the thorax narrowed in front and margined behind at sides ; the 

 antennae are rather short but slender ; the elytra are long, subparallel, 

 distinctly striated ; the legs are somewhat elongate, biit moderately 

 stout, and the anterior trochantin is conspicuous; the mesosternum is 

 much shorter than the intermediate coxae, and the penultimate tarsal 

 joint is slightly bilobed ; the upper surface is very finely pubescent and 

 shining. 



The larva and pupa of M. caraboides are described and figured by Schiodte 

 (xi. pp. 565, 586, t. xvii. 1 and 15) ; the larva is cylindrical, about six times longer 

 thsin broad, membranous, with the head and legs alone corneous, whitish with the 

 head and legs yellowish ; the head is very large, and the prothorax cordate and 



