﻿1869.] 83 



to its being finely and densely coriaceous between the pnnetures. This species I 

 consider to be, — H". nigritcu, Fab., Aube, Icon, and Spec. gen. ; Er. Kiif. Mark. ; 

 Sch., Ins. Deutsch. ; Wat. Cat. ; H. glabellus, Th., Sk. Col., ix, 80. 



The descriptions above alluded to present considerable discrepan- 

 cies, especially as to the punctuation of the disc of the thorax ; this 

 part cannot be described correctly as altogether impunctate, but the 

 punctures are very sparing, as is especially to be noted when the 

 insect is compared with H. discretus. I have examined a specimen of 

 H. glabellus, Th., sent by Herr Thomson to Mr. Crotch, and find it to 

 agree with our common British species. 



H. MELANAltlUS. 



As this species and its ally H. celatus have given me some trouble, 

 and as we have apparently a third closely allied species, I give some 

 descriptions for the assistance of others. 



H. celatus, dark. Black or pitchy-black, with the antennae, legs, and palpi red. 

 The head is broad, pitchy-red, finely and rather sparingly punctured. The thorax 

 is narrowed towards the front, its margins are reddish, it is distincly punctured 

 throughout, but the punctures on the disc are very much finer than at the base and 

 sides. Viewed sideways, the angle formed by the junction of the thorax and elytra 

 is distinct but extremely obtuse. The elytra are a little rounded at the sides, 

 somewhat pointed behind, moderately closely and finely punctured, and down 

 each one are distinctly to be seen the rudiments of two lines of another sort of 

 punctures. 



This species, compared with H. memnonius, is smaller, and less 

 shining, but the angle formed by the junction of the thorax and elytra 

 is just about the same as in that species. It is in some respects allied 

 to the species I have above alluded to as H. nigrita ; but, independently 

 of other characters, it may be distinguished from that species, as well 

 as from all others resembling it, by its short, and at the apex very 

 broad, anterior tibia?. Under a powerful glass, the elytra are seen to 

 possess an extremely fine and scanty pubescence. Long 1^-line. 



Widely distributed in Britain, but scarce. Malvern, Snowdon, 

 Bannoch, Edinburgh, Cheviot, and the Metropolitan district. A duller 

 variety was found by Mr. Crotch and myself on Mamsoul. 



H. melanarius, Sturm. Black, or pitchy-black, antennas and legs red, head 

 and margins of thorax, more or less pitchy-red. The head finely and sparingly 

 punctured. The middle parts of the thorax are impunctate (or very finely and 

 sparingly punctured), but towards its posterior angles it is closely and densely 

 punctured. Viewed sideways, the thorax is seen to continue the outline with the 

 elytra, with but little interruption. The elytra are rather coarsely and somewhat 

 sparingly, evenly, punctured. The upper surface as nearly as possible destitute of 

 pubescence. The elytra without, or with only indistinct traces of, two lines of 

 other punctures. Long 1£ — lf-lin. 



