STEXID.F. P.EDERUS. 2^9 



blight red or testaceous, somewhat thickly punctured, with an obscure 

 smooth longitudinal channel in the middle : elytra finely pubescent, rather 

 thickly punctured, pitchy, with the extreme tip testaceous, or pale reddish : 

 abdomen minutely punctured, and a little pubescent: legs pale testaceous: 

 antennae pitchy-testaceous, brightest at the apex. 



This beautiful insect appears to be a scarce species, very few 

 specimens being in collections. " Taken beneath the bark of a 

 willow at Walthamstow." — A. Cooper, Esq. " New Forest, June 

 1832."— i^ey. F. W. Hope. " Epping Forest, Feb. 1833."— 

 Mr. Attfield. " In moss, Lincolnshire." — A. H. Davis, Esq.' 



Genus DXXV. — Pxdekus Auctornm. 



Antennas filiform, the basal joint elongate, slightly thickened, second short, 

 third as long as the first, slender, remainder gradually shortening and 

 thickening to the tip, the three last joints being distinct, and the apical one 

 conic, obliquely truncate. Palpi, maxillary with the third joint large, 

 fclavate, pilose, the terminal one minute : labruni slightly notched in front : 

 head large, orbiculate : ei/es small : thorax very convex, obovate : abdomen 

 with the penultimate joint largest, the terminal joint in the female with two 

 pilose styles: legs rather long, slender; tibia; simple; ter^' pentamerous, 

 with the fourth joint bilobed, anterior dilated in both sexes. 



For beauty of colouring, the insects of this pretty genus stand 

 pre-eminent amongst the Brachelytra, their usual tints consisting of 

 contrasts of blue, orange, black, or violet; their very convex, 

 obovate thorax, distinguishes them from Astenus, as do their bilobed 

 tarsi from the other genera of the true Stenids with minute eyes. 

 The species frequent grassy places near rivers, the roots of oaks, 

 branches of whitethorn, and sandy situations ; and appear to be 

 gregarious. 



Sp. 1. littoralis. Rvfus, capiie {ore excepto), abdominis apice, pectore, genubusque 

 nigris, elytris casruleis, thorace oblongo. (Long. corp. 3^ — 4 lin.) 



Paed. littoralis. Gravenliorsi?—Sieph. Cafal. 288. No. 3096. 



Glossy, slightly pilose : head small, black ; mandibles and palpi red, the apes 

 of the latter dusky: thorax oblong, with the sides nearly parallel, slightly 

 approximating behind, bright shining red : elytra deep blue, or greenish, 

 rather coarsely punctured : abdomen red, with the two last joints above 

 and below black ; breast black : coxw and trochanters red: legs red, with the 

 extreme tip of the anterior femora, and a large portion of the apex of the 

 four posterior black ; tibisc with the extreme base fuscous ; tarsi fuscous ; 



