HELOPHORIDiE. HELOPHORUS. HI 



teriorly than at the base, roughly punctate, with five larger impressions, placed 

 as in Hy. elongatus : elytra ovate, much broader than the thorax, the sides 

 dilated, deeply punctate-striated, the alternate interstices elevated, the suture 

 and margin also elevated : body black beneath ; abdomen transversely rugose : 

 legs and antennae pitchy-black. 



Less abundant than either of the foregoing species; rarely, if 

 ever, taken near London : it, however, occurs in Norfolk, and near 

 Bristol. " Netley, common." — Rev. F. W. Hope. " Whittlesea 

 Mere, in July last." — Mr. Weaver. 



Genus XCVI. — Helophorus, Leach. 



Maxillary palpi shorter than the antennae, the last joint thick and oval: clypeus 

 entire: mandibles stout, subtrigonate, a little emarginate at the tip, which is 

 somewhat produced and acute: mentum large, subquadrate. Antenna? with 

 the two basal joints elongate ; the third, fourth, and fifth shorter, distinct ; 

 the four following produced into an elongate-ovate club : eyes sessile : thorax 

 transverse, longitudinally sulcate : body elliptic or subovate. 



Helophorus, as restricted by Dr. Leach, differs from Hydrochus 

 externally, by having the eyes sessile, the thorax transverse, and 

 the body subovate or elliptical : from Ochthebius and Hydrochus, 

 the thickened ovate terminal joint of the palpi and sulcated thorax 

 form the more prominent distinctions. 



A. Elytra without elevated lines. 

 Sp. 1. aquaticus. Fusco-ceneus, obscurus, thorace post ice angustiori later ibus 



sinuato, elytris griseis punctato-striatis. (Long. corp. 2 — 3 lin.) 

 Silpha aquatica. Linne. — He. aquaticus. Steph. fatal, p. 56. JVo. 568. 



Dull brassy-brown : head punctulated: thorax slightly convex, the lateral margins 

 sinuated, slightly dilated anteriorly, and narrowed posteriorly ; above punc- 

 tulated, with five longitudinal sulci ; the middle one straight, the others more 

 or less flexuous : elytra large, elongate, rather convex, deeply punctate-striated, 

 the interstices flat, smooth ; griseous, with scattered obsolete dusky spots, the 

 alternate ones faintly elevated, and the second from the suture with an abbre- 

 viated, punctate, striola, as in many Geodephaga : body beneath fuscous, with 

 a cinereous pubescence : legs flavescent : palpi and antennae testaceous. 



Common in every stagnant pond and ditch throughout the metro- 

 politan district ; and I believe in most parts of the country. 



Sp. 2. granulans. Fusco-ceneus, subnitidus, thorace lateribus rotundato integro, 



elytris punctato-striatis, insterstitiis convexis. (Long. corp. 1^ — if lin.) 

 Buprestis granulans. Linne. — He. granularis. Steph. Catal. p. 57. No. 569. 

 Brown-brass, rather glossy : head aeneous or dusky, obscurely punctulated : 



