SILPHIDjE. SILPHA. 25 



Black; head thickly punctured: thorax with the sides rather flattened, pale 

 testaceous, the disc somewhat convex, foveolated behind, glossy black, with a 

 slender testaceous margin anteriorly, and a broader one posteriorly : scutellum 

 black : elytra pale shining testaceous, thickly punctated ; the margin rather 

 flattened, the disc slightly convex, with three somewhat elevated lines, and 

 each with two large glossy black spots, the anterior at the base of the elytra 

 and ovate, the posterior towards the apex and orbicular. 



Found in the woods about London, especially at Coombe-wood, 

 frequenting the oaks, upon which it prowls about in search of the 

 larvse of Lepidopterous insects, upon which it preys. " Bagley- 

 wood, Oxford."— Rev. F. W. Hope, and Rev. W. T. Bree. " Ep- 

 ping."_ Mr. Donbleday. " Biibome^— J. C. Dale, Esq. " Rare 

 (near Swansea). 1 ' — L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. 



B. With the thorax entire anteriorly, 

 a. Elytra with elevated lines (usually three). 



Sp. 2. obscura. Nigra obscura, thorace antics, truncato, elytris profundius 



punctatis, lineis tribus elevatis obsoletis. (Long. corp. 6 — 8 lin.) 

 Si. obscura. Linne.—Don. ii. pi. 63. f. 4, Steph. Catal. 76. No. 813. 



Dull black; head thickly punctured, with an obsolete transverse carina between 

 the eyes : thorax slightly convex, truncate anteriorly, closely and finely punc- 

 tured : elytra oblong-ovate, a little convex, sparingly, but deeply punctured, 

 with three obscure very obsolete elevated abbreviated lines, the central of which 

 is longest:body thickly punctured beneath. 



Common in the vicinity of London, especially in the fields near 

 Hackney, Walthamstow, &c. : also near Erith, Dartford, Ripley, 

 &c. " Common in Cambs." — Rev. L. Jenyns. " Southend, Aid- 

 borough, &c."— Rev. F. W. Hope. " Parley."—/. C. Dale, Esq. 

 " Frequent in the sand hills (near Swansea), and under dry rubbish 

 near the sea-side. 1 " — L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. 



Sp. 3. tristis. Nigra subnitida, thorace antics truncato, elytris subtilissime 

 punctulatis, lineis tribus elevatis nitidis. (Long. corp. 5^ — 8 lin.) 



Si. tristis. Illiger.— Steph. Catal. 76. No. 814. 



Oblong-ovate; deep, somewhat glossy black: thorax slightly convex, truncate 

 anteriorly, obsoletely foveolated, with a rather distinct lunule on each side, 

 the disc rather sparingly punctured ; the punctures not. very deep ; elytra 

 rather deeply punctured, with three elevated, glabrous, shining lines, 

 reaching nearly to the apex, where they are slightly flexuous, and towards 

 the extremity of the outer one is a conspicuous, but not very large, tubercle; 

 body slightly glossy beneath, punctured. 



Rarely, if ever, found near London : but far from uncommon 



d 2 



