ADEPHAGA. 11 



II Disc of thorax not alutaceous. 



i. Size larger ; middle joints of antennae 

 about three times as long as broad ; 

 elytral striae less deeply punctured in 

 front. Found in tidal marshes, on the 

 banks of tidal rivers, and on the sea- 

 shore. L. 1-5 mm B. iricolor, Bedel. 



ii. Size smaller ; middle joints of antennae 

 two and a half times as long as broad ; 

 elytral striae more deeply punctured in 

 front ; common everywhere . . . B, lunulatum, Fourc. 



All these species are regarded as distinct in the 1906 European 

 catalogue, but there is still something to be said on the other side. It 

 is difldcult to describe the dift'erences between B. guttida and B. 

 Mannerheimi, but when the insects are put side by side they are quite 

 obvious ; the shape of the elytra and the colour are quite difierent. 

 The presence or absence of the elytral spot is of little value as a 

 character. 



B. callosum, Kust., KUfer, 9, 23 (1847). {B. laterale, Dej., 

 Spec, v., 185.) This insect was introduced by Dawson (Geod. Brit, 

 p. 206, Plate iii. fig. c.) on one specimen "captured by Mr. Stewart on 

 Woking Common in the summer of 1851," and the species has been 

 reinstated by Beare and Donisthorpe (Catalogue, p. 4) on the ground 

 that it is still extant. The following is Dawson's description : 



This species very nearly resembles 4-guttatum, but is rather 

 smaller, narrower, and more delicately formed. The principal characters 

 which distinguish it from that species are stated as follows : The colour 

 of a deeper black; the base of the first joint of the antennse alone 

 testaceous red ; the elytra more finely striated and the punctuation more 

 minute, the humeral spot continued, but more narrowly, along the 

 lateral max-gin till it unites with the lower one, which is smaller and 

 less round than the corresponding one in 4-guttatum ; in other 

 respects they do not difier. L. 2 lines. 



Dawson's figure does not agree with his description, which he has 

 evidently copied, as is proved by his use of the words, " are stated as 

 follows." In the figure the posterior spot is quite distinct and not 

 joined to the lateral extension of the anterior spot ; the colour of the 

 base of the Antennae varies considerably in B. quadriguttatum, and I 

 have specimens from Luccombe Chine (Isle of Wight) with the base 

 almost entirely black. I have not seen Dawson's example. His 

 collection is now in the possession of his son, and Mr. Donisthorpe, who 

 has seen it, says it agrees well with the figure. 



B. virens, Gyll., Faun. Suec. iv., 407. {B. 2)feiffi, Sahib,, Ins. 

 Fen. i. 195, 13 : Thoms. Skand. Col., i. 201.) Very closely allied to 

 B. jyrasinumt Duft., but distinguished by having the basal joint of the 

 antennae entirely black (in B. jyi-asiniim the joint is always testaceous 



