HARPALID^. — HARPALUS. 155 



pression; the margin sometimes piceo-ferruginous : elytra rather convex, 

 faintly striated, the strise impunctate, the margins ferruginous: legs pale 

 dusky-ferruginous: tihise and tarsi palest: antennae and palpi pale testa- 

 ceous. 

 It varies a little in colour, occurring of a paler or deeper hue ; sometimes pale 

 testaceous beneath, and ferruginous above. 



Not very uncommon on the coasts of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. 

 " Taken plentifully near Yarmouth."" — A. H. Haworth^ Esq. 



Sp. 42. pumilus. Niger nitidus, antennarum basi palpisque riifis, thorace 



postice utrinque striold unicu. (Long. corp. 3^ lin.) 

 Ha. pumilus. Sturm?— Steph. Catal. p. 31. No. 290. 



Rather larger than, but greatly resembling, the last ; it is of a deep glossy black, 

 with the legs concolorous ; the base of the antennte and the palpi rufous : 

 thorax with a moderate dorsal line, and a simple stria at the base on each 

 side : elytra simply and not very deeply striated : tips of the antennae fuscous. 



My specimen of this insect is the only indigenous one I have 

 seen ; it was found on the shores of the Thames. 



b. With the elytra deeply excised and dentate at the apex. 

 Sp. 43. aeneus. Niger, supra viridi-ceneo, cupreo, cceruleo violaceove nitens, 

 . elytris striatis interstitiis tribus marginalibus punctulatis; antennis pedibusque 



riifo-Jerrugineis. (Long. corp. 4 — 5 lin.) 

 Ca. aeneus. Fabricius. — Ha. aeneus. Steph. Catal. jd. 31. No. 291. 



Above polished and very smooth ; the colour varying from brilliant shades of 

 rich metallic green to blue, violet, brassy, and cupreous : head with a deep 

 transverse impression: thorax with an abbreviated dorsal Une, terminating 

 posteriorly in a slight transverse depression ; towards the hinder angles on each 

 side at the base a punctate foveola : elytra very smooth, rather faintly striated, 

 the striae impunctate, the interstices flat, the marginal ones more or less thickly 

 punctulated : body beneath generally pitchy-black, sometimes pale testaceous : 

 legs, antennae, and palpi rusty-red or ferruginous, sometimes pale testa- 

 ceous. 



The males are generally highly poUshed and brilliant; the females obscure and 

 less powerfully tinted ; and their elytra granulated. 



If the five following insects be really mere varieties only of this species, which 

 I imagine to be the case, they will present the most striking anomaly amongst 

 coleopterous insects, as their relative proportions of width and length, as well 

 as their general form, sculpture, colour, and texture, differ so considerably, 

 and well justify the appellation of Ca. Proteus, which has been given to them 

 by Paykul; though it should be added, that he includes some of the foregoing 

 Harpali under that name. 



Extremely abundant throughout Britain, running and flying about 

 in pathways and roads during fine sunshiny and hot weather. 



