84 HETEROMBBA. [Anthicid<i j , 



I. Thorax prolonged over the he.id iuto a stoui horn ; last joint 



of antennas longer NOTOXUS, Geoff. 



II. Thorax not prolonged over the head into a horn ; last joint 



of antennae shorter ANTHICITS, Payk. 



NOTOXUS, Geoffroy. 



The species belonging to this genus may be easily known by the 

 peculiar prolongation of the anterior portion of the thorax over the 

 head into a strong horn,* and the longer last joint of the antennae; they 

 are about fifty in number, and are very widely distributed, represen- 

 tatives occurring in North America, Siberia and Central Asia, Egypt, 

 Algeria and the Cape of Good Hope, the Australian region, &c. ; of the 

 thirteen European species only one is found in Britain ; it is a very 

 common insect in sandhills near the coast in many localities. 



N. monoceros, L. Moderately convex, clothed with scanty villose 

 whitish pubescence, rather shining, rufo-testaceous, with the head, 

 thoracic horn and more or less of thorax fuscous-black or fuscous, and 

 the elytra with varying black spots or markings ; as a rule, the scutel- 

 lary region, a patch on each side often confluent with this, the middle 

 of suture, and a patch on each side behind middle are black ; the mark- 

 ings, however, are very variable, and a not uncommon variety occurs in 

 which the elytra are entirely black except apex ; head rather large, 

 narrowed behind, antennae long, filiform, rufo-testaceous ; thorax convex, 

 rounded in front and narrowed behind, with the horn obsoletely serrate 

 at sides, thickly punctured ; elytra subparallel, truncate at apex, 

 closely and distinctly punctured ; legs moderately long, rufo-testaceous. 

 L. 3^-4 mm. 



Male with the thoracic horn more parallel-sided than in the female. 



Sandy places ; at roots of grass, in moss, &c., both inland and on the coast ; some- 

 what local, but not uncommon and widely distributed ; Stephens records it as found 

 in lanes on oaks ; I have only found it on sandhills near the sea. London district, 

 not uncommon, Shirley, Wisley, Wokiug, Ku-hmond, Coombe Wood, Blackheath, 

 Southend, Whitstable; Clacton-on-Sea ; Deal; Dover; Hustings; Portsea ; Ports- 

 mouth ; Burnham, Somerset, in profusion ; Bristol ; Kidderminster ; Bewdley ; 

 Swansea ; Barmouth ; Harwich; Cromer; Hunstanton ; Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire ; 

 Banks of Irwell, Manchester j Liverpool district ; Scotland, maritime, Tweed and 

 Forth districts. 



ANTHICUS, Paykull. 



This is a very large and extensive genus, containing more than three 

 hundred species, which appear to be found in almost all quarters of the 

 world ; no less than one hundred and fifty occur in Europe, of which 

 nine are represented in Britain ; they are small insects, and at first sight 

 many of them bear a strong resemblance to certain species of ants by 

 reason of their large head and narrow thorax ; they are very variable in 

 colour, a large number being unicolorous black or brown, and many 

 being rather brightly variegated with red or yellowish markings ; they 



* Abuoimal specimens occur rarely, in which the horn is divided and forked. 



