LIMNIID^. — ELMIS. 109 



Ovate, black, shining : thorax as in El. seneus, with an elevated longitudinal line 

 on each side, and a transverse abbreviated fovea posteriorly : elytra scarcely 

 broader than the thorax, each with three elevated lines, and eight rows of im- 

 pressions : body beneath, and femora at their base, clothed with a cinereous 

 down : tarsi and antennae ferruginous-brown, or rufescent. 



Probably the Li. obscurus of Muller, and not sufficiently distinct from El. ameus. 



Found near Norwich, and in other parts of Norfolk. " Clengre, 

 Gloucestershire." — Rev. F. W. Hope. 



B. Thorax without elevated lateral lines. 



Sp. 9. cupreus. Plate XIII. f. 6. — Ovalis, cupreo-niger, thorace Icevi postice 

 utrinquefossuld obsoletd transversa abbreviatd impresso. (Long. corp. § — 1 lin.) 

 Li. cupreus. Muller. — EI. cupreus. Steph. Catal. p. 56. No. 564. 



Oval, coppery-black, shining, slightly pubescent : head finely punctulated: thorax 

 very convex, rather opaque, brassy-copper, the disc without elevated lines, with 

 an obsolete transverse impression on each side posteriorly : elytra oblong-ovate, 

 rather broader at the base than the thorax, very convex, glossy aeneous, deeply 

 punctate-striated, the interstices finely punctulated, and the intermediate ones 

 slightly elevated : body beneath, and legs at the base, clothed with a golden 

 down; the latter pitchy-black, with the claws rufescent: antennae also ru- 

 fescent. 



" Spitou-week." — Dr. Leach. " In a paper-mill stream near Hat- 

 field, in June." — Mr. Westwood. 



Family XIII.— HELOPHORIDiE, Leach. 



Antennae nine-jointed, rather abruptly perfoliate-clavate, the club serrated or 

 subsolid : mandibles without teeth at their extremities : maxillary palpi very 

 long : body oblong, rather depressed : thorax somewhat quadrate, nearly or- 

 biculate, or slightly cordate-truncate: tibia a little spinous: tarsi filiform, 

 not ciliated. 



The Helophoridee may rather be said to walk in the water and 

 upon its surface than swim, the formation of the tarsi not permitting 

 them to perform the latter operation ; they generally inhabit ponds 

 and ditches, and may be frequently observed walking on the muddy 

 borders, or floating slowly on the surface upon their backs, and 

 sometimes ascending upon aquatic plants, whence they occasionally 

 take flight. In their first state they are carnivorous, but in their 

 final they become herbivorous. The four following genera inhabit 

 Britain. 



f merlins ,r ( crassiore, ovali : ( elongatus : . 95. Hydeochus. 

 Palpi \ meaiocres, ar- y Thorax! 



maxiUaresi ucuio ultimo < (transversa: . 90. Helophotuts. 



C graciliore, acuto : . . • 97- Ochtheiiitts. 



(Jongissimi, articulo ultimo utrinque acuminato : . 98. Hydh^ena. 



