PHALACEID.iJ. 103 



PHALACRID^. 



PHALACRUS, Paykull. 

 The genus Phalacras is very confusing, and but little attention has 

 been paid to it by British Coleopterists until quite recently. Mr. New- 

 bery, however, has studied the species carefully, and has, probably 

 rightly, sunk P. brisouti, Rye, and drawn up a table in which only 

 five species are admitted as British, including P. hijbrldas, Flach., of 

 which a description is given below (Ent. Mo. Mag. xliii. (2 Ser. xviii.), 

 1907, 223). This table should be substituted for the one given by 

 myself (Brit. Col. iii. 148) as being more satisfactory and resting on 

 better defined characters. 



I. Thorax bordered in front of scutellum. 

 i. Elytra alutaceous throughout. 



1. Thorax not alutaceous . . . .P. hybridus, Flach. 



2. Thorax and elytra similarly alutaceous. 



A. Last joint of antennae slender, nearly 

 three times as long as broad ; form of 

 body broader and more convex ; aluta- 

 tion finer ; punctuation of interstices of 



elytra not in rows. L. l^-o mm. . P. CORUSCUS, Panz. 



B. Last joint of antennos stout, about 

 twice as long as broad ; form of body 

 nai'row elliptical, less convex ; alutation 

 coarser ; interstices of elytra with rows 



of punctures. L. 11-2 mm. . . P. caricis, Sturm. 



ii. Elytra not alutaceous, except sometimes 

 at extreme apex, dorsal interstices with a 

 single row of large punctures on the 

 inner side of each strise ; thorax not 

 alutaceous. L. Ij-lf mm. . . .P. substriatus, Gyll. 



II, Thorax not bordered in front of scutellum ; 

 thorax not, and elytra feebly, alutaceous ; 



form short, broad and convex. L. 2 mm. P. championi, Giull. 



( = brunijjes, Rye, nee Bris.) 



I have already pointed out that P. hitmberti, Rye, has been sunk 

 as a variety of P. coruscus {I.e. iii. 1 48) ; P. brisouti, Rye, is also 

 apparently a form of this common species ; P. caricis, Sturm, may be 

 superficially known by its rather flat elliptical form, and P. stibstriatas 

 by its short and convex appearance. P. chamjnoiii, Guill., is allied in 

 form to both P. substriatus and small P. hybridus, but differs from the 

 former by its finely alutaceous elytra, and from both by the absence of 

 a border in front of the scutellum. P. brunni2:)es, Bris., is a longish 

 oval insect, narrowed behind, and somewhat I'esembling an Olibrus ; 

 it has not been taken in Britain according to Newbery {I.e. 1907, 225) ; 

 but Mr. Rye (Ent. Mo. Mag. ix. 1872, p. 9) pointed out that 



