ENGIDjE. — BITOMA. 105 



B. With the sides of the thorax unidentate. 



Sp. 3. unidentatus. Testaceo-ferrugineus, punctulatus, oculis nigris, thorace 

 elongato, postice angustato, angulis anticis acuminato-productis, elytris 

 punctato-striatis. (Long. corp. 1^ — if lin.) 



De. unidentatus. Fabricius. — Sy. unidentatus. Steph. Catal. 92. No. 985. 



Testaceo-ferruginous, punctate, glabrous; eyes black; thorax elongated, nar- 

 rowed posteriorly, with the anterior angles acutely produced, the elytra de- 

 licately punctate-striate : legs and antenna? ferruginous. 



Not common ; specimens have occurred in Henault Forest, be- 

 neath the bark of the elm, and in the New Forest, near Brocken- 

 hurst, beneath that of the oak, in June and July. 



Genus CLXIII. — Bitoma, Herbst. 



Antennae shorter than the thorax, with the two basal joints large, subglobose, 

 the seven following small, coarctate, gradually increasing in diameter ; the 

 ninth rather larger, truncate ; the tenth broad, perfoliate, truncate ; the ter- 

 minal one large, rounded. Palpi short, filiform, with the last joint cylindric, 

 obtuse : mandibles not exserted : head short, obtuse : eyes rather prominent : 

 thorax subquadrate, nearly as broad behind as the base of the elytra ; the 

 latter depressed, rounded at the apex: body depressed, oblong : legs short; 

 femora rather stout ; tarsi four-jointed. 



The more prominent distinguishing characters of the genus 

 Bitoma consist of the Particulate club of the antenna?, combined 

 with the concealed mandibles, depressed body, and bicarinated sides 

 of the thorax. 



Sp. 1. crenata. Nigra, subopaca, antennis pedibusque rufo-piceis, elytris punctato- 

 striatis nifis, cruce nigra, interstitiis alternis elevatis. (Long. corp. 1^ — 2 lin.) 



Mo. crenata. Panzer. — Bi. crenata. Steph. Catal. 92. No. 986. — Curtis, vi. 

 pi. 283. 



Black, slightly opaque ; head obsoletely punctate, with the mouth ferruginous : 

 thorax with the lateral edges nearly straight, deeply margined, and parallel thereto 

 two elevated lines ; the disc rather flat, with two obsolete fovea 3 towards the 

 hinder margin, opposite the scutellum : elytra a little wider at the base than 



' the thorax, punctate-striated ; with the alternate interstices elevated ; the disc 

 red, with a black cross: body beneath pitchy-black, rather finely punctured : 

 legs and antenna? ferruginous ; femora dull pitchy- red. 



Variable : in some instances the elytra are black, with a small humeral and apical 

 red spot only :— in others the insect is ferruginous, with a brownish obscure 

 cross on the elytra. 



Not very common within the metropolitan district: it has how- 

 ever occurred at Little Chelsea, where it was first observed by Mr. 

 Haworth: — it has also been taken abundantly in the New Forest, 



i 2 



