ANISOTOMID^. CLYPEASTER. 185 



head, compared with the rest of the insect, by its singular shuttle- shaped 

 thorax, anteriorly gibbous elytra, and rufo-testaceous hue. 



I found a specimen of this curious insect in a bank near Ripley, 

 in June, 1827; but a pair had been previously taken at " Ensham, 

 in Oxon."— Mr. Westwood; whose name, although now evidently 

 inappropriate, I have retained, as a name once given ought not, 

 without powerful reasons, to be changed. " Bottisham." — Rev. L. 

 Jcnyns. 



Genus CXIIL — Clypeaster, Andersch. 



Tropin very minute. Antenncs rather slender, the three terminal joints forming 

 an elongate-ovate compressed club : head minute, concealed beneath the an- 

 terior margin of the thorax, which is produced, and semicircular : the thorax 

 itself semioval, pubescent : scutellum minute, rounded : elytra ovate, slightly 

 convex, the apex obtusely rounded, pubescent : legs slender, the posterior pair 

 remote from the intermediate ; tarsi slender, four-jointed, posterior with the 

 terminal joint very long and curved. 



The minute head of the insects of this genus, which is concealed 

 beneath the thoracic shield, distinguishes it from Clambus, from 

 which genus it also differs by its depressed body, triarticulate clava 

 of the antennae and semioval thorax; from Sericoderus, which has 

 also the capitulum triarticulate, the rounded apex of the elytra 

 removes it ; and Orthoperus has the head minute, not concealed 

 beneath the thorax, and a biarticulate capitulum. The only indi- 

 genous species is found beneath the bark of trees, &c. 



Sp. I. Cassidoides. Piceus, thoracis margine pallido pellucido, antennis pedibusque 



ferrugineis. (Long. corp. ^ — -^liri.) 

 Der. Cassidoides. Marsham.—Cly. Cassidoides. Steph. Catal. p. 71. No. 765 



•Piceous, shining, impunctate ; with the margins of the thorax pellucid and 



pale, the antennae and legs ferruginous. 

 The thorax is sometimes entirely rufo-ferruginous, at others it has a dark centre; 

 the margins of the elytra are occasionally paler than the disc ; and in some 

 examples the elytra are nearly piceous, with a rufescent patch on the hinder 

 portion of the suture near the apex. 



Not uncommon in the neighbourhood of London : frequently 

 taken at Darenth-wood " Near Spitchweek and Ashburton, 

 Devon." — Dr. Leach. 



