136 THE entomologist's record. 



[ = flarici}r>ii^, Sturm.), are scarcely defined at all. As it is extremely 

 probable that there are other British species yet to be discovered, I 

 append a table of those at present known, founded principally on the 

 alutaceous punctuation of elytra, which appears to me to be more 

 reliable than colour. The colour of some of the species is very variable, 

 and I have made one or two remarks on this and some other matters. 

 I have also added a few localities not, I think, hitherto published. 

 The whole of the species are found on the flowers of I'mbclli/crae and 

 t'ovijxinltac : — 



A. — Elytra almost entirely alutaceous. 



I. — Elytra greenish or blackish bronze, underside and club of antennae 

 dark. 

 a. Form longer, plainly narrowed behind — O. aciieiiit, F. 

 h. Form shorter and more convex, nearly regularly elliptical — 0. 

 viillefolii, Pk. 

 II. — Elytra brown, paler towards apex, antennae and underside pale red- 

 yellow. 



* Suture and outer margin of elytra darker than disc — O. corticalh, 



Pz. 

 ** Suture and outer margin not darker than disc — 0. liquidiix, Er. 

 B. — Elytra not alutaceous, except sometimes at extreme apex. 

 I. — Size moderate (1. 1-.5 mm. — 2-7 mm.). 



a. Elytra entirely black, average size larger — O. Jlarironii.f, Sturm. 



(helreticHA, Rye ?). 

 h. Elytra with at least traces of a brown spot at apex. 



* Form shorter and less narrowed behind. Insect more shiny — (). 



jxirticej).'^, Sturm. 

 ** Form longer and more narrowed behind. Insect less shiny, striae 

 more apparent — O. ({(iiuif!, Sturm. 

 II. — Size very small (1 mm.), thorax and elytra entirely black — O. 

 j)>/il»iai'ni^, Sturm. 



<). arnriis, F. — This common insect is often black-bronze, without 

 any trace of the usual greenish lustre. The apex of elytra is rarely 

 infuscate. 



(). )iiilh'f()lii, Pk. — This can only be mistaken for the black form of 

 acncKx, from which its shape at once distinguishes it. It does not 

 appear to be common, I have only taken it at Shirley (Hants), and have 

 seen but few specimens. 



(). oirticalis, Pz. — Paler in colour than any of its congeners, with 

 suture and margins of elytra blackish. It is a local insect. Chilworth 

 and Shirley (Hants), Shiere (Surrey). 



(). liquid IIS, Er. — Similar to the last but much darker in colour, 

 with suture and margins not conspicuously darker, alutaceous punctua- 

 tion of elytra often ceasing at a little distance from base. More 

 widely distributed than nirtiralix. Lyndhurst, Southampton, Shirley, 

 Hayling Island, Gosport (Hants), Shiere (Surrey). 



(). rlaricorms, Sturm. — Described by Sturm as a var. of himlur, 

 but appears to be a good species. About the size of liqiiitliis, or even 

 larger. Elytra entirely black. Formerly rested as British on Mr. 

 Champion's unique example. I took a couple of .specimens at Dover 

 in August, 1896, on the chalk downs near the convict prison, and 

 record'ed them as iKirtircpx in error {E.M.M., 1697, p. IH). It has 

 since been taken by Mr. Elliman, in some numbers, in moss, at 

 Chesham (Bucks.). 



(). jxutin'jis, Sturm. — This species is very closely allied to ajfi)tis, 

 their separation being a matter of great difficulty. Much confusion 

 has been caused by foreign authors having placed it among the species 



