i*.'] lUIYXClfOPHORA. 289 



(Rrewer sec Croteli) ; the lnrva lias been found iu France living gregariously on the 

 Water Soldier (Stratiotes aloides). 



B. nodulosus, Gyll. (binodulus, Thorns, nee Gyll.). Very closely 

 allied to the preceding, which it much resembles in general appearance, 

 but, on an average, rather larger, and distinguished by having a not 

 distinct warty prominence on the third interstice of the elytra behind 

 middle and no small shining callosity at the base of the first interstice 

 near scutellum ; the alternate interstices of the elytra are very slightly, 

 and scarcely evidently, raised ; the warty prominence on the third 

 interstice, appears, however, to be at all events indicated, and hence 

 probably has arisen the confusion between the two species. L. 4|-5 mm. 



In ditches, &c; very rare, but, apparently, less so than the preceding species ; Pe^- 

 well Bay ; Mr. S. Stevens says of the species, " formerly not uncommon in ditches 

 near Aruudel, but not taken for years; I used to call it binodulus, but am tokl it is 

 now considered to be nodulosus ;" Mr. Eye, however (Ent. Monthly Mag. vi 257), 

 says "one of my two exponents of B. oinodulus, given to me by the late Rev. H, 

 Clark, who took it, I believe, near Arundel, is undoubtedly that species; the other, 

 obtained by Brewer, is as undoubtedly nodulosus ; " according to these opinions both 

 species occur near Arundel, and it is possible that there is some mistake still to be 

 cleared up ; if the species did not approach very nearly to one another, they would 

 not have been for so long kept united in our collections. 



B. arglllaceus, Gyll. (inceratus, Brit. Cat.; encaustus, Boh.; halo- 

 philus, Redt.). Smaller than either of the two preceding species, but 

 larger than any of those that follow ; oblong, black, somewhat smooth 

 and shining, densely clothed with olive-grey scales, with more or less 

 indistinct pitchy markings on the elytra, and with a more or less distinct 

 whitish patch between middle and apex ; the surface is, however, easily 

 abraded and then appears much darker than in fresh specimens; antennae 

 reddish with club dark, inserted not far from apex of rostrum which is 

 moderately long ; thorax about as long as broad or subtransverse, con- 

 stricted before apex, with the sides nearly straight, punctuation close and 

 very fine ; central furrow obsolete ; elytra with rather strong, but indis- 

 tinctly punctured, striae; legs comparatively short, more or less fer- 

 ruginous; the somewhat greasy appearance, broad flattish build and com- 

 paratively short legs, as well as its size, will easily distinguish the 

 species from its allies ; when quite fresh, the thorax is grey with two 

 large approximated ill-defined spots at base. L. 3^4 min. 



Brackish ditches ; on aquatic plants ; often in flood refuse, and (in hot sunny 

 weather) by sweeping herbage on ditch banks ;.very local and usually rare ; Gravesend 

 (Douglas) ; Southend; Sheerness, occasionally found in profusion (Champion, Power, 

 Walker and others) ; Lumps Pond, Southsea (Moncreaff). 



B. limosus, Gyll. (subcarinafus, Sharp's Cat. ; petrosus, W. C. ; 

 laticollis, Gyll.). A short and broad species ; black, closely covered with 

 grey scales, which are sometimes more or less abraded and leave spots or 

 patches on thorax and elytra ; on the latter there is sometimes a very in- 

 distinct greyish patch behind middle ; antenna? ferruginous with club 



VOL. v. u 



