HARPALID/E. PCECILUS. 109 



f Var. jS. Curtis, iv. pi. 187. — Deep blue above^ tinged witb violet: thorax in- 

 clining to green. 



Many other varieties are described, but the above are the only indigenous one 

 that have come under my observation. 



Not a very common insect ; found occasionally in May and June 

 at Darenth and near Hertford, and in the immediate vicinity of 

 London ; it also occurs in Norfolk and Hants : several of variety /3 

 were taken by Dr. Leach in Devonshire, and the Rev. L. Jenyns 

 has one of a very deep hue that he captured near Ely. 



Sp. 2. dimidiatus. Capite Icevissimo, pedibus nigris, antennarum articulis 

 duohtis basalibus infrd rufis, thorace postice vtrinque profundi bistriato. 

 (Long. corp. 5|— 6 lin.) 



Ca. dimidiatus. Fabricius. Don, xvi. pi. 5Q5. — Poe. dimidiatus. — Steph. Catal. 

 p. 23. No. 179. 



Head and thorax light copper, tinged vs^ith green ; the former with an impressed 

 Une on each side between the eyes ; the latter with two deep longitudinally 

 impressed foveje at the hinder angle on each side, the space between which is 

 punctate : elytra bright green, striated, the strise deeply impressed and ob- 

 soletely punctate ; the interstices convex, with some impressed dots on the 

 third from the suture, and an uninterrupted marginal series : body beneath, 

 legs, and antenna black; the two basal joints of the latter, and the base of 

 the third, fifth, and following, to the apex, rufous beneath. 



Some specimens are distinguished by the brilliancy of the coppery tints on the 

 head and thorax ; others by having the upper surface entirely of a brilliant 

 green, or of a jet black, with various gradations from the latter colour to blue 

 and violet. 



Var. j3. Bright green, with the thorax very rugose, strongly wrinkled trans- 

 versely, and the elytra granulated. 



Var. y. Poe. crenatostriatus mzA;. — Steph. Catal. p. 23. No. 180. Bright green: 

 head and thorax smooth, the former with a deep transverse fovea on the fore- 

 head, and a longitudinal one on each side between the eyes ; the latter with 

 two impressions on each side at the base : the elytra deeply striated, the strise 

 very strongly crenated, with four deeply impressed dots on the third from the 

 suture, and a series on the margin: body beneath and legs black: antennae, 

 with the two basal joints, the fifth and following joints, rufous beneath. 



This differs from the other specimens which I possess by its uniform brilliant 

 green colour above ; the deeply impressed and strongly crenulated striae on the 

 elytra, and its elongate form ; characters which in almost any other genus of 

 Harpalida would constitute a distinct species. 



An insect of great beauty, found not uncommonly in the sand- 

 pits on Hampstead-heath during the spring; it also occurs sparingly 

 in several other places in Kent, Norfolk, &c. and is apparently 

 local, like its congener Poe. lepidus ; the supposed variety was taken 

 near London. 



Mandibulata, YoT.. L 1st May, 1828. p 



