12 Mr. John CuiUs's Critical Remarks 



aterrmus of Linnasus, I tliought the point would be readily settled 

 by a visit to Solio Square. On consulting the Linnean cabinet 

 what was my surprise to find the only specimen to represent 

 Elater alerrimus was a greasy individual of E. niurinus ! I 

 thought, however, that my insect agreed so well with the descrip- 

 tion in the " Fauna Suecica,"* that I might adopt the Linnaean 

 name, which I did in June, 1838.-}- Having since then received 

 specimens from Denmark and Germany of the species considered 

 abroad to be the true E. aterrimus, and having seen Mr. Stephen's 

 collection, now deposited in the British Museum, I will give the 

 result of my researches. 



Sp. 1. Ectinus aterrimus, Linn., Pauz. 101, 15; Payk. 3, 6, 8; 

 Gyl. i. p. 425 ; atrntus. III. Mag. ; obscurus, Oliv. 2, Genus 31, 

 pi. 8, fig. 76. (PI. li. fig. 1.) 



Long and narrow, shining blr.ck and minutely punctured ; an- 

 tennae as long as the thorax (fig. a) ; basal joint long and stoutish ; 

 second and third of equal length, obovate, the following com- 

 pressed, a little longer and somewhat serrated. Head deflexed, 

 obtuse; clypeus trigonate, truncate (fig. i). Thorax linear, elon- 

 gated, with a channel down the centre, strongest at the base ; the 

 angles prominent, stout but acute ; pectoral spine long, pointed, 

 depressed, convex at the base. Elytra twice as long as the thorax 

 and a little broader, punctate-striate, faintest at the base ; tarsi 

 siinple, reddish-fuscous. 



6 lines long, l^ broad. 



The late Dr. Sturm, of Nurenburg, sent me this species labelled 

 E. aterrimus, Linn., and I have another from Denmark : it is of 

 course a native of Sweden, but I have never seen a British spe- 

 cimen. Mr. Stephens having copied Gyllenhal's essential Latin 

 character verbatim, it answers to this insect, but it entirely dis- 

 agrees with his English description, and likewise with the spe- 

 cimens named in his collection Ectinus aterrimus, which belong to 

 a totally different section. 



Sp. 2. Ectinus? gctgales, Curt. ; Elater aterrimus. Curt. Brit. 

 Ent. fol. and pi. 691. (PI. H. fig. 2.) 



Long, narrow, depressed, dead-black ; antennas scarcely so 

 long as the thorax (fig. c), serrated, excepting the basal joint, which 

 is short and stout, and the second and third, which are small and 

 obovate. Head short, semi-orbicular (fig. </) ; clypeus trigonate, 

 and extending a little over the labrum, the trophi nearly con- 



• Page 206, No. 726. t Fol. and PI. 694. 



