NITIDULIDiE. — NITIDULA. 37 



Oblong-ovate, somewhat depressed ; head deep ferruginous, thickly punctured ; 

 eyes black: antennae ferruginous, with an oblong acuminated club: thorax 

 narrow before, the anterior margin deeply emarginate, the sides rounded, disc 

 slightly convex, unequal, rather deeply punctured, rufo-ferruginous : scu- 

 tellum concolorous : elytra broad, ovate, the disc moderately convex, the 

 margin narrow, rufo-ferruginous, subpubescent, slightly punctured : body 

 beneath rufo-ferruginous ; legs pale testaceous. 



The more expanded lateral margins of the thorax, less depressed body, con- 

 colorous scutellum and club of the antennae, distinguish this from the fore- 

 going insect, which has also the elytra somewhat truncate. 



Found in flowers, and beneath the bark of trees; not very- 

 abundantly. " Netley." — Rev. F. W. Hope. 



Sp. 13. aestiva. Ohlongo-ovata, depressa,J!avo-testacea, thorace vix emarginato, 



elytris apice truncatis. (Long. corp. 1^ lin.) 

 Si. aestiva. Linne? Ni. aestiva. Steph. Catal. 79. No. 837. 



Oblong-ovate, depressed, finely punctulate : head pale testaceous ; eyes globose, 

 black : thorax narrowed anteriorly, the anterior margin very slightly emar- 

 ginated, the angles nearly straight, the sides but slightly margined, above 

 rather convex, yellow-testaceous, somewhat pubescent : scutellum concolorous : 

 elytra oblong-ovate, depressed, yellow-testaceous, the apex truncate, with the 

 exterior angle rounded : body beneath flavo-testaceous, with the legs paler. 



I have followed Gyllenhal in considering this as the Silpha aestiva of Linne, 

 and also in his description of the allied species, with the exception of such as 

 appear to be distinct from any that he has described, from a conviction that 

 it is far better to collate good descriptions with specimens, rather than to re- 

 write the same, when there is no discrepancy between the two, as in that 

 case the insects intended by the original describer are with more certainty to 

 be identified. 



Near London, but not common ; in flowers and beneath the bark 

 of trees. " Netley." — Rev. F. W Hope. 



Sp. 14. villosa. Ovata, convexa, dilute testacea, punctatissima, thorace late 



emarginato, elytris apice subtruncatis. (Long. corp. 1^ — 1^ lin.) 

 Ni. villosa. Thunberg. — Ni. depressa. Steph. Catal. 79. No. 838. 



Ovate, convex, thickly punctured ; head ferruginous-testaceous, with the eyes 

 black ; thorax narrowed in front, with the anterior margin broadly and very 

 deeply emarginated, above convex, slightly pubescent, testaceous, with the sides 

 narrowly flattened, and the margin reflexed; scutellum deeply punctate: 

 elytra broad, ovate, convex, slightly pubescent, pale testaceous, the apex 

 somewhat truncate, with the outer angle rounded ; body beneath ferrugineo- 

 testaceous, punctured ; legs pale testaceous ; antennae pale ferruginous, with 

 the club concolorous. 



The deeply emarginate anterior edge of the thorax, and the more convex ovate 

 body, with subtruncate elytra, distinguish this species. 



