Hylastes.] RHYNCHOPHORA. 413 



much resembles in general appearance ; it may, however, be very easily 

 known by its somewhat broader and shorter form, and shorter thorax 

 which has the sides evidently rounded, and broader in the middle, and 

 is much duller and more thickly punctured, with scarcely a trace of an 

 impunctate central line ; the elytra, moreover, are more coarsely and 

 deeply sculptured. L. 4 mm. 



In decaying firs; local and not common ; first taken in Britain under bark of fir, 

 near Guildford, Surrey, by Mr. E. W. Robinson, in 1858; Shirley; Westerham, 

 Knt; Weybridge; Birdbrook, Essex; Devils Dyke; Stretford district, near 

 Manchester ; Scotland, very rare, Moray district. 



H. opacus, r. Oblong, black, dull, with the base of the antennae, 

 and the tarsi, ferruginous ; rostrum not carinate ; thorax a little longer 

 than broad, with the sides slightly rounded and somewhat narrowed in 

 front, rather strongly punctured, with a distinct smooth raised central 

 line ; elytra pitchy, usually a little lighter than thorax, dull, with deep 

 crenate striae, interstices narrow, somewhat rugose, with rows of 

 recumbent or slightl-y erect hairs ; the species is allied to H. palliatu*, 

 but is narrower and duller with the thorax evidently longer and the 

 rostrum not furrowed ; the colour also is, as a rule, darker, but this can- 

 not be depended on as reddish varieties often occur. L. 2-7-3 mm. 



In decayin2 firs, &o. ; also occasionally in elm and ash ; not uncommon locally ; 

 Shirley, Mickleham, Woking, Esher, Forest Hill, Wickham, Tonbridge, Chatham ; 

 Compton Wyniatt (oak and ash in numbers, Power} ; Hertford ; Faygate, Sussex ; 

 St. Leonards Forest; Aruudel ; Xew Forest; Glanvilles "Wootton ; Colton Pits, 

 Somerset; Swansea; Llangollen; Chat Moss ; Repton ; Sherwood Forest; North- 

 umberland and Durham district ; Scotland, Tweed and Clyde districts. 



XX. ang-ustatus, Herbst. Very closely allied to the preceding, from 

 which it differs in being narrower and more elongate ; the punctuation 

 of the thorax is rather coarser, the small spaces between the punctures 

 being shining instead of dull ; the sides of the thorax also are almost 

 parallel behind ; the tibiae area little more dilated, differing also slightly 

 in the spines on their outer edge ; and the rostrum exhibits a delicate but 

 decided longitudinal channel ; in H. opacus there is no trace of such a 

 channel. L. 3 mm. 



Under bark of fir logs ; very rare ; one specimen taken at Holm Bush, near 

 Brighton, by Mr. Rye, who says he has no doubt that it is mixed with H. opacus in 

 collections; Mr. W. G. Blatch records it from Mickleham. The H. angustalus of 

 Stephen's Illustrations (III. 364) is only H. opacus. 



XX. palliatus. Gyll (Hylurgops, Leconte). Pitchy-black, slightly 

 shining, often more or less ferruginous ; base of antennae, tibiae, and tarsi 

 reddish ; rostrum furrowed ; thorax transverse, much narrowed and some- 

 what constricted in front, closely and rather coarsely punctured, with a 

 smooth raised central line, sides rounded and more or less dilated ; 

 elytra with deep punctured stria?, interstices granulate and rugose ; the 

 thorax and the elytra (except side margins) appear to be, as a general 

 rule, reddish brown, but the colour is somewhat obscure and variable ; 



