Species of Formicarious Histeridee. 147 



ocellately punctured. The metasternum is finely and feebly 

 punctulate and wholly depressed, the depression being so deep 

 anteriorly that the mesosternum is almost vertical. Pro- 

 pygidiura and pygidium feebly and sparsely punctate, the 

 first having erect hairs. The fore legs are opaque, roughly 

 and densely punctate, punctures rough and often ocellate ; the 

 second and third pairs are smoother on the inner surface, with 

 the tibise very broad and equilaterally triangular. 



This species resembles *S'. Bedeli^ Lewis (Ent. Month. Mag. 

 vol. xxi. 1884, p. 83), in the dilatation of the tibise, but there 

 the similitude ceases. In 8. Bedell the thoracic punctures are 

 scattered irregularly and only a few are ocellated. This is 

 the largest species at present known. Mr. J. J. Walker first 

 discovered it at Tangier, and afterwards found it in Spain, 

 where he also took Eretmotus tangerianus. I took fifteen 

 specimens at Tangier last spring. 



Sternoccelis cancer, n. sp. 



Breviter ovatus, nitidus, postice parce fulvo-hirtus, nigro-piceus, 

 pedibus dilutioribus ; fronte opaca, grosse punctata, stria valida ; 

 pronoto angulis obliquis, antice vix dense ocellato-punctato, 

 postice parce punctulato ; elytris undique punetulatis, tristriatis ; 

 prosterno lato in medio transversim elevato, grosse ocellato-punc- 

 tato, stria basi sinuata, lobo deliexo at la^viter emarginato, tibiis 

 valde dilatatis. 



L. 2, 0. 2i miU. 



This species is much larger and darker in colour than S- 

 punctulatus, and it wants the close pubescence of S. Bedeli. 

 The dorsal region is very distinctly punctulate and the pro- 

 sternum is relatively wider than in the species named, and the 

 transverse ridge is more conspicuous. The frontal strias of 

 Bedell and cancer are similai', strong and complete at the sides, 

 but opening out behind the clypeus, and running for a very 

 short distance parallel to each other. In cancer the front 

 tibige are sometimes emarginate on the outer edge, and this 

 may be a sexual character. The examples I have vary a 

 good deal in size. 



I found this species at Hamman Rirha, Algeria, last Feb- 

 ruary, and noticed that it was less subterraneous than the yellow 

 species ; this may account for its colour, which is nearly 

 black. 



Sternocoelis Bedeli ^ Lewis. 



Subrotundatus, piceo-ferrugineus, vix dense sericeo-pubescens, punc- 



10* 



