CARABID.E. AMARA. 



121 



insect we know as Pterostichus melanarius, but, as before stated, 

 the Linnsean diagnosis will not accord with that insect ; I have 

 therefore retained the name vulgaris for this. 



A. obtusa, Steph., is a black variety of this insect : A. laticollis 

 is an imperfectly formed <? of the same, to which also A. convexior 

 must be assigned. A. plebeia of the Stephensian collection is 

 represented by some examples of this species, but as the descrip- 

 tions given by Stephens manifestly apply to the true plebeia, I 

 have given his references to that insect. 



This species, with all its varieties of colour, is generally distri- 

 buted throughout the kingdom. 



7. A. communis : oblonga, cenea, nitida ; thorace amplo, postice 



utrinque subtiliter punctulato foveolato ; elytris subtiliter 

 striatis, striis subtilissime punctatis ; antennis basi tibiis- 

 que rufis. 



Harpalus communis, Gyll. Ins. Suec. 2. 145. 



Amara communis, Sturm, D. F. 6. 49. Dej. Spec. 3. 467 ; 



Icon. 3. 250. pi. 161. Steph. Mand. 1. 133, et Manual, p. 37. 



Erichson, Kafer, 90. Heer, Faun. Helv. 94. 



Smaller, more oblong and more convex than vulgaris, brilliant 

 brassy. Head as in the preceding species, palpi and antennae 

 black, two joints at the base of the latter red. Thorax broad, 

 the anterior margins straight in the middle, but the angles pro- 

 duced, the sides less narrowed, the disk more convex, having 

 numerous fine wrinkles on each side the dorsal furrow, and the 

 entire base very minutely and closely punctured, and furnished 

 on each side with a double obsolete fovea. Elytra oblong, sides 

 almost straight, convex, finely striated, the striae obsoletely 

 punctured, the punctuation being sometimes almost impercep- 

 tible ; legs black, tibiae rusty red. Length 3 lines. 



A. (Bnea, Meg., is a brassy green variety of this insect, and 

 A. ferrea, Sturm, a darker example of the same. 



Commonly distributed. 



8. A. curta : ovata, obscure anea ; thorace postice utrinque ob- 



solete bistriato ; elytris striatis, striis apice profundioribus ; 

 antennarum articulis duobus basi rufis ; tibiis rufo-piceis. 



Dej. Spec. 3. 468 ; Icon. 3. 253. pi. 161. Erichson, Kafer, 88. 

 Heer, Faun. Helv. 95. 



Shorter and wider in proportion to its smaller size than com- 

 munis, less convex, generally obscure brassy black or bronze with 



