83 IIETEROMERA. 



Rnehill* nenr Edinburgh and Abercleenshire (A. Murray) ; Loch Leven (Boswell 

 Syme, Waterhou-e aud Power). 



A. tristis, Schmidt; v. Schaumi, "Woll. (ater, Steph. ?). Rather 

 elongate and narrow, moderately shiny, pubescent ; head slightly 

 rounded behind, as long as broad, finely punctured, eyes small, antennae 

 rather long ; thorax considerably longer than broad, gradually and rather 

 strongly narrowed behind, more distinctly punctured than the head ; 

 elytra long, oblong-ovate, with sides slightly rounded, closely and rather 

 strongly punctured ; legs rather stout, femora thickened ; in the type 

 form of A. tristis, which does not occur in Britain, the colour is pitch- 

 black, with the antennae, base of thorax, and a humeral patch and a 

 fascia behind middle on each elytron, red or reddish ; the antennas also 

 and the legs, except femora, are red ; the insect is very variable in 

 colour, but only the var. Schaumi appears to occur in our country ; this 

 is black with an obscure reddish patch, often obsolete or almost wanting, 

 at each shoulder, the antennae are often fuscous towards apex, and the 

 tibiae are occasionally more or less dark, as well as the femora ; in general 

 appearance this variety much resembles A. angustatus and A. saliims, 

 but the shape of the head, which is much less narrowed behind, and 

 the much closer punctuation of the elytra will easily distinguish it ; the 

 shape of the thorax, which is rather strongly cordiform, will serve to 

 separate it from A. anr/uit atus ; the antennae seem to be somewhat 

 variable in length in different specimens. L. 2^-3 mm. 



Salt marshes ; very local, but occasionally in numbers where it occurs; Lymington 

 Salterns (Blatcli) ; Portland ; Chesil Beach (abundant, Walker and others) ; some 

 authors identify it with the S. ater of Stephens, which he records as from hedges, 

 and as found in the London district, Wrabiiess Essex, Bristol, Southern], and the 

 Isle of Portland ; as far, however, as I know, it is exclusively a coast species. 



A. antherinus, L. A very pretty and conspicuous species ; rather 

 robust, dull, thickly clothed with greyish pubescence, black, or pitch- 

 black, with the base of the antennae and more or less of tibiae and 

 tarsi ferruginous or pitchy brown ; elytra with a large spot near 

 shoulder and an oblique band behind middle red or yellowish-red ; 

 the latter is generally extended upwards and downwards along suture ; 

 the markings are, however, somewhat variable, and rarely the posterior 

 band is absent ; head large, thickly punctured, almost straight at base, 

 very closely and finely punctured, eyes depressed ; antennae long and 

 rather stout ; last joint of maxillary palpi securiform ; thorax com- 

 paratively short, subcordiform, gradually and not strongly narrowed 

 behind, very closely and finely punctured as head ; elytra long and 

 rather broad, with the sides moderately rounded, closely and distinctly 

 and somewhat rugosely punctured, the punctuation becoming obsolete 

 behind ; legs 'robust, with the femora dilated. L. 3-4 mm. 



Male with the head and thorax broader, and the femora more strongly 

 dilated, especially the posterior pair, which are almost always terminated 



