COCCINELLID-E. SPH.EROSOMA. SCYMNUS. 391 



Very abundant in hedges and grassy places throughout the metro- 

 poKtan district. " Caernarvon, Bath, &c." — C. C. Bahingto7i, Esq. 

 "Crwmlyn-burrows, not common."" — L. W. Dilhvyn, Esq. 



Genus CCCCXVI.— Sph^rosoma, Leach MSS. 



Antennw elongate^ 10-jointed, the basal joint very robust, dilated ; second also 

 robust and dilated, shorter ; third and fourth slender, a little elongate, the 

 former longest; three following also slender, mimite; the remainder forming 

 an abrupt robust elongate-ovate club. Palpi short : head rounded, deeply 

 immersed hi the thorax, the last convex, nearly as broad at the base as the 

 elytra, and closely embracing the latter : body very convex, nearly spherical, 

 pilose : legs short, robust, simple. 



This curious httle genus differs from the following by the greater 

 length of its antennae; of which the basal joint is very robust, the 

 next slightly so, the five following slender, and the remainder form 

 an abrupt elongate-ovate club ; the body is nearly spherical and 

 pilose ; and the palpi very short. 



Sp. 1. Quercus. Nigro-picea, subnitida, ore, antennis pedibusqne piceo-testa- 



ceis, elytris subtilissime punctulatis. (Long. corp. f — 1 lin.) 

 Sp. Quercus. Leach MSS.—Steph. Catal. 238. No. 2392. 



Pitchy-black, slightly shining : mouth piceous : thorax immaculate, with a 

 few minute, remote, punctures : elytra rather thickly but finely punctured : 

 legs and antennae pitchy-testaceous. 



Found on the oak, in the vicinity of the metropolis and in Suffolk 

 and Devonshire, in June ; not very abundant. 



Genus CCCCXVIl.— Scymnus, Herhst. 



Antenna very short, rather slender at the base, the apex abruptly clavate, 

 obtuse. Trophi nearly as in Coccinella : Aeac? small, deflexed : e^w oblong; 

 thorax transverse, scarcely narrower than the elytra, the posterior margin as 

 broad as, and closely applied to, the base of the elytra, the latter generally 

 very convex, large, rarely spotted : body generally more or less hemispheric 

 and pubescent : legs short, simple : femora slightly incrassated. 



Scymnus as a genus is evidently distinct from Coccinella, although 

 the trophi are nearly similar ; the antennas and general habit, com- 

 bined with the minute size of the insects and their pubescent 

 clothing, nearly uniform colouring, &c. warrant their separation. 



