NEW BRITISH SPECIES, ETC., IN 18G9. 45 



5. OxYNOPTiLus cuspiDATUS, Kunze, Acta nov. Soc. Nat. 

 Scrut. Hal., vol. ii, fasc. iv, p. 68, 11 {Hyphydrus) ; 

 Germ.; Auhe (Hydroporus); Schauni, Ins. Deutschl., 

 i, pt. 2, 29; H. Moncreaff, Newman's "Entomolo- 

 gist," No. 71, p. 356 {Mydroporus). 



Taken by Mr. Moncreaff, in October last, in profusion, in 

 a pond on the north side of the Island of Portsea, and named 

 for him by Mr. Crotch. I am indebted to the former gentle- 

 man for numerous specimens of this most interesting addition 

 to our list. 



The genus Oxynoptilus was founded for it and a few 

 allied species in the Ins. Deutsch., 1. c, 28, chiefly on account 

 of certain characters aflbrded by the structure of their pro- 

 sternum and metasternum. In the prosternum they approach 

 Hydrocanthus and Halifliis ; and in the equal and move- 

 able claws of their posterior tarsi they resemble Hydroporus, 

 from which they recede in the structure of their prosternum 

 and the widely separated insertion of their intermediate legs. 

 Resembling Hyphydrus m shape, tliey recede from the 

 members of that genus in the above characters, and in the 

 structure of the claws of the posterior tarsi. And from all 

 allied genera they differ in having the apex of the elytra 

 produced into a distinct point. 



0. cuspidatus appears to be very rare in Germany, occur- 

 ring at Halle, Vienna, Munich and in the Tyrol ; and it 

 seems equally scarce in France. It is found in Italy, Sardinia, 

 Dalmatia, by the Caspian Sea, in Algiers and Egypt. Aube 

 (Hydr. et Gyr., 479) mentions specimens in Dejean's collec- 

 tion from North America, which he could not distinguish 

 from European examples. 



The only species to which it can be likened is Hydroporus 

 decoratusy being, however, rather larger than that insect, and 



