1918.] 79 



1. Head more or less evenly narrowed from the eye to the front of the clypeus, 



lateral carina ahnost straight 2. 



Front of clypeus suddenly wider, lateral carina of head deeply emarginate 

 above and in front of insertion of antenna 3. 



2. Last 3, or 4, joints of antennae thickened and darker, elytra 1 epipleura not 



distinct beyond the middle, outermost interval in posterior half normal, 



plainly visible from above (Subgen. Salpingellus Reitt.). 



Colour black or dark piceoiis,' not or scarcely metallic, base of antennae 



and tibiae usiialh' reddish ater Payk. 



Last 4, or 5, joints of antennae thickened ; elytral epipleura distinct almost 

 to apex (Subgen. Sphaeriestes s.s.). 



a. Colour castaneous brown, not or scarcely metallic ; antennae and 



legs coucolorous. Epipleura inflexed, so that the extreme 

 margin of elytra is not visible from above. Anterior tarsi of (S 

 normal castaneus Panz. 



b. Colour brassy black, antennae and legs reddish testaceous. Epi- 



pleura not inflexed, extreme margin of elytra visible from above 

 in posterior half. Anterior tarsi of c^ expanded 



. . . .{aeratus Muls.). 



3. Lateral carina of head not reaching the eye, antennal groove terminated 



in front of the eye. Head markedly convex between the eyes. Labruni 



transverse (Subgen. Colposis Muls.). 



Colour greenish brassy ; antennae and legs testaceous ; last 3, or 4, 



joints of antennae expanded (virescetis Muls.). 



Lateral carina of head meeting the eye, antennal groove terminated by the 

 eye. Head shorter, almost flat between the eyes, labrum almost as long 

 as wide (Subgen. Rabocems Muls.). 



a. Colour brassy black ; clypeus simply punctate ; last 5, or 6, joints of 



antennae thickened : thorax a little wider than the head, its 

 greatest width at about \ of its length, rather finely and sparsely 

 punctate (more so than in ater or castaneus) ; elytra rather 

 strongly convex, with a transverse impression a little behind 

 the base miitilatus Beck. 



b. Colour blackish or piceous, scarcely metallic ; clypeus punctate and 



transversely wrinkled; last 6 joints of antennae thickened; 

 thorax about as wide as the head, its greatest width a little 

 behind the anterior margin, very coarsely punctate, punctures 

 almost contiguous, the anterior pair of impressions very strong, 

 arcuate, almost meeting in the middle ; elytra more elongate, with 

 a transverse impression a little behind the base, and a second more 

 feeble impression about the middle fuveolattis Ljungh. 



S. ater Payk. — This is cei'tainly the most puzzling o£ our British 

 representatives. It is excessively variable in size (length 2 to 3^ mm.), 

 in shape, and in sculpture, but after examining a large number of 

 specimens from di:fferent localities, particularly a long series taken by 

 Mr. Champion from burnt pines at Woking, I am unable to consider it 

 as more than one species. 



