208 MAND1BULATA. COLEOPTERA. 



Rare near London ; I have, however, frequently taken specimens 

 in Walsam- meadows, near Ripley; it seems to occur in greater 

 plenty in Somersetshire. " Among herbage (near Swansea), not 

 common." — L. W. Dillwj/n, Esq. 



Genus CCXXVII. — Selatosomus* mild. 



Antennas rather short, simple ; the basal joint rather stout, elongate ; second 

 very short, subglobose; third elongate; the remainder short, obconic ; the 

 fourth and terminal joints being longest and about of equal length, the latter 

 with the apex conical. Palpi rather elongate ; maxilla porrect : head small: 

 thorax broad, subquadrate-elongate, margined ; the lateral margins rounded, 

 the posterior angles carinated, the disc gibbous : body broad, nearly glabrous, 

 richly adorned ; slightly convex : elytra a little dilated behind the middle ; 

 the apex attenuated: legs rather slender; tarsi simple, not very slender; 

 basal joint moderate. 



The typical species of this genus are eminently distinguished by 

 the splendour and brilliancy of their colouring, the surface glabrous 

 and richly adorned with lively metallic hues; from the preceding 

 genus they differ in having the antennae short, simple in both sexes, 

 the body broad, thorax gibbous and expanded anteriorly ; and from 

 Caloderus they may be known by the same characters, united to the 

 margined thorax, with its carinated posterior angles, rich colouring, &c. 



Sp. 1 . seneus. JEneus, nitidus, glaher, suprii viridi- aut ccerulescenti-ceneus, out 

 purpureus, antennis nigris, pedibus nigro-fuscis aut nifis. (Long. corp. 7 — 9 

 lin.) 



El. seneus. Linne. — N. G. seneus. Steph. CataL 125. IVo. 1271. — El. impressus. 

 Don. xv. pi. 535. f. 2. — Var. El. cyaneus. Sowerby, i. pi. 26. 



A most variable species, both in size and colour, the latter partaking of almost 

 every conceivable hue : body above of various hues of seneous, green, blue, 

 violet, or purple, the elytra being sometimes concolorous, at others dis- 

 similar: head and thorax finely punctured, the latter -with an obsolete dorsal 

 channel and two rounded foveolse: elytra rather deeply striated, especially at 

 the base; the interstices faintly punctulate : body green or bluish- brass be- 

 neath : legs pitchy-black or dusky ; sometimes bright-red, with fuscous tarsi : 

 antennas dusky or black : — the male is usually smaller than the female. 



Found in various parts of the country, but very rare near the 

 metropolis ; it occurs in plenty in the county of Norfolk, also in 



* ~Z<\a.;, fulgor; (ruf/M, corpus. 



