CANTHARID.E. MELOE. (i^ 



Sp. 4. tectus. Niger, capite thoraceque pundatis, elytris subriigosis elongatis, 

 antennis medio crassioribus. (Long. corp. 8 — 10 lin.) 



Me. tectus. Panzer.— Linn. Trans. {Leach.) xi. pi. vii. /. 8, 9.— Pr. tectus. 

 Steph. Catal. 253. JVo. 2510. 



Black: head ohscme riolet, punctured : thorax subquadrate, punctured, mar- 

 gined, and scarcely emarginate behind : eli/tra elongate, subrugose, shining 

 black : abdomen short, glabrous, finely rugose : legs and antenna purplish- 

 violet j the latter with the three middle joints very stout, and the apex 

 piceous. 

 The only locality I know for this species is Hampstead-heath, 



where I have occasionally met with specimens about the end of 



April. " Taken in the neighbourhood of Swansea by Mr. Jeffreys." 

 — L. W. Dilhvyn, Esq. 



Sp. 5. autumnalis. Capite, thorace elytrisque glabris, subpunctatis, colore 

 vario. (Long. corp. 5 — 7^ lin.) 



Me. autumnalis. Olivier. — Me. glabratus. Linn. Trans. {Leach.) xi. pi. vii. 

 /. 1, 2.— Pr. autumnalis. Steph. Catal. 253. No. 2512. 



Head glabrous, shining, obscurely punctured : thorax also faintly punctured, 

 glabrous, shining, with a faint dorsal line, and sometimes a fovea on each 

 side : elytra nearly glabrous, with distinct crowded punctures : abdomen 

 very smooth above, beneath glabrous, and very much punctured: antennae 

 dusky, with the apex piceous. 



Head and thorax sometimes purplish or black-violet, or aeneous : elytra some- 

 times piceous, with the sides violet, or entirely brassy-black, or violaceous : 

 legs either violet-black, brassy, or violet. 



Very rare : specimens have been taken near Dartford, and I 

 believe also near Exmouth, in Devonshire; the latter said to have 

 been captured by Mr. Newman. 



Genus CCCCLXIX. — Meloe Auctorum. 



Antennae filiform, or slightly thickened at the apex, moniliform, the articula- 

 tions short obconic, rounded, or a little elongate, with the exception of the 

 ' second joint, which is always small, globose; the basal and third are 

 rather long, subequal, the terminal one the longest, elongate-conic. Palpi 

 with the apical joint incrassate, sometimes rather acute : head not much 

 broader than the thorax, which is transverse-quadrate : scutellum obscure : 

 elytra short, slightly lapping over each other at the base, and diverging at 

 the apex, which is sometimes obliquely subtruncate : abdomen very large, 

 soft, especially on the sides: legs robust, long; tibia; simple; tarsi slightly 

 pubescent beneath. 



Having hitherto considered diversity of structure in the antennas 



f2 



