STAPHYLINID^. 49 



Guildford (Champion), one specimen : apparently generally distri- 

 buted over Central Europe, in moss and old faggots, &c. 



According to Mr. Champion, who introduced the species (Ent. Mo. 

 Mag. xlv. (2 Ser. xx.), 1909. 5), this insect has the general facies of 

 H. (Goprothassa) melanaria, Mann., but it is not nearly so large, and 

 has much shorter antennfe. The stouter antennae, with joints 6-10 

 strongly transverse, separate it from the more nearly allied H. parva, 

 Sahib., and //. aterrhna, Grav. 



H. (Atheta) fussi, Bern., Verh.-Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien., 1908, 

 p. 40. H. nitens, Fuss., Berl. Ent. Zeitschr. 1868, 354.* Somewhat 

 depressed, black, rather shiny, elytra brown, reddish-brown behind, 

 hind body brownish at apex. Antennae as long as the head and thorax, 

 moderately stout, pitchy-black, scarcely paler at the base, 1st joint almost 

 half as long again as 3rd, 4th small, shorter than 3rd, the following joints 

 scarcely varying in breadth, the outer ones strongly transverse, 11th as 

 long as the two preceding united, pointed at apex. Head moderately 

 large, shining, sparsely and finely punctured ; thorax about as broad 

 as the elytra, about one-half broader than long, with rounded anterior 

 and posterior angles, rounded at the base and sides, narrowed in front, 

 rather sparingly and finely punctured, black, moderately shining, 

 convex, without impressions. Elytra slightly longer than the thorax, 

 thickly and distinctly punctured, depressed, each elytron more rounded 

 at the sutural angle than is usvial in Ilomcdota ; hind body a little 

 narrowed posteriorly, segments 2-4 somewhat thickly and finely, and 

 5 and 6 sparsely punctured, legs yellow, with the knees somewhat 

 darker. Pubescence of the upper surface short and fine, the hind body 

 furnished at the sides with slightly longer protruding hairs. L. 2 mm. 



One specimen taken by Mr. Champion at Mickleham on September 

 5, 1875 {v. Ent. Mo. Mag. xlv. (2 Ser. xx.), 1909, 31). 



The insect, as observed by Kraatz, is very like a Placusa in the 

 flattened, sub-parallel form, relatively large head, itc. ; it is of about 

 the same size and shape as P. jmmilio, but it is more shiny, less 

 densely punctured, and has more slender antenna?. 



H. (Dimetrota) picipennis, Mannh., BviU. Soc. Imp. Nat. 

 Mosc. 1843, iii. 224. Head and thorax brassy black, elytra brown, these 

 parts being plainly shagreened and not very shining, hind body shining 

 black ; head very finely and spaiingly punctured ; antennae pitchy-black, 

 with rather long outstanding hairs, somewhat thickened towards the 

 apex, 3rd joint equal to or a little longer than the 2nd, 4-6 slightly 

 longer than broad, 6-10 as long as broad, the last nearly double as long 

 as the penultimate, sharply pointed ; thorax narrower than elytra, one- 

 third broader than long, moderately rounded at the sides and slightly 

 narrowed behind, finely pubescent, closely and rugosely punctured, 

 sides with rather strong outstanding setae ; elytra distinctly longer than 

 the thorax, very closely and somewhat rugosely sculptured, finely 



* The aUeiation in name has been made because nitens is preoccupied to the 

 genus Homalota. 



D 



