SILPHID^. 85 



more coarsely sculptured, without a central furrow, but as a rule with a 

 plain, though minute, keel on the vertex ; black ; antennae (except club) 

 and legs testaceous ; central portion of thorax very rough, with the 

 three basal impressions indistinct, and the middle impression on the 

 disc shallow ; sides of thorax plainly less angled than in M. liorcatus ; 

 elytra with five raised lines on each, interstices deeply and rather closely 

 punctured ; first three visible segments of abdomen divided into deep 

 squares and longitudinal ribs, the fourth segment strongly rugose, with 

 the ribs only indicated at base, distinctly shorter than in M. forcatus. 

 L. l|-2 mm. 



Taken by Joy and Tomlin at the end of April 1909, in marshy 

 ground, near Cloghane, co. Kerry, Ireland (Ent. Mo. Mag. xlv. (2 Ser. 

 XX.) 1909, 149). Dr. Joy is right in saying that the length of M. porcatus 

 should rather be 2^-2^ mm. than 2 mm., as I have before stated (Brit. 

 Col. iii., 218). 



SILPHID^. 



CLAMBUS, Fischer. 

 C. punctulum, Beck (Beitr. Baier. Ins. Faun. 1817, 8. p. i. f. 4). 



According to Ganglbauer (Kaf. Mitt. Europ. iii. 259), this insect only 

 diflers from C. minutus, Sturm., in size, and he says that the difterence 

 of size in the length of the last joint of the antenna? as stated by 

 Reitter (in minutus much longer than broad, in 'j^unctulum as long as 

 broad) is not confirmed by his experience ; Donisthorpe, however, who 

 has reintroduced the species recently as British (Ent. Record, xx. 

 1908, 293) on the authority of a specimen taken at Chattenden, Kent, 

 says that the antennae of his insect are as described by Reitter. I 

 have felt very doubtful as to whether the insect is more than a small 

 variety of C. minutus, but the antennal character is apparently to be 

 depended upon. Britten and Newbery have lately gone into the question 

 (Ent. Mo. Mag. xlv. (2 Ser. xx.), 1909, p. 250) and have distinguished 

 the species as follows : 



C. minutus, Sturm. Last ventral abdominal segment distinctly 

 more rugose than the preceding segments ; pubescence of abdomen 

 longer and more thickly placed in middle of apex of last segment. 

 Apex of elytra somewhat pointed ; upper side thinly covered with 

 moderately strong pubescence, which is more thickly placed on the 

 head. Colour of disc of elytra usually lighter (brown). Size larger. 

 L. 1-lJ mm. 



C. punctulum, Beck. Last ventral abdominal segment alutaceous, 

 but not more rugose than the preceding segments ; pubescence of 

 abdomen shorter, not more thickly placed in middle of apex of last 

 segment. Apex of elytra very bluntly rounded ; upper side more 

 closely covered with short pubescence which is much more thickly 

 placed on the head ; colour of disc of elytra usually darker (black). 

 Size smaller. L. |-| mm. 



