5176 Insects. 



Thirdly, variegatus is at once distinguished from fulvus (which it 

 most resembles) by its tout ensemble. It is more deeply punctured 

 in proportion, more regularly ovate and lumpy, shorter and consider- 

 ably smaller : small specimens approach to large specimens of rufi- 

 collis. It is more maculated in blotches, and all my specimens have 

 a remarkable spread-eagle-shaped black blotch, extending backward 

 along the suture from the middle. In fulvus the dark lines are seldom 

 confluent to any extent ; some specimens are very rubicund, others 

 more pale and yellowish. I fancy the latter are the subnubilus of 

 Babington, the former his rubicundus. I think that Dr. Schaum has 

 made a mistake (which Mr. Clark's list perpetuates) in referring that 

 insect to ruficollis from a single specimen, accidentally, I suspect, 

 wrongly named. I have a specimen named rubicundus by Mr. Ba- 

 bington himself, which is variegatus. Rare to me. I have met with 

 it at Cambridge, New Forest, and once or twice at Wandsworth. 



6. H. affinis, Steph. = cinereus, Aube, is at once distinguished 

 from ruficollis and from fluviatilis, which it resembles exactly in co- 

 lour, by the absence of furrows on the thorax. It has the form of 

 flavicollis, but is much smaller, and of a much more pale testaceous- 

 gray. The punctures on the striae are more ingrained with black, 

 having a tendency to form streaks, but not maculations. The punc- 

 tures are much more numerous, and four or five deep black impressions 

 at the base of each elytron give a peculiar appearance. Wandsworth ; 

 marshes near Notting Hill; Bradgate Park, Leicester; Cowley, in the 

 stream ; Bentley, near Alton. Apparently common, but not distin- 

 guished. 



7. H. ruficollis, Degeer. 



8. H. fluviatilis, Aube. 



These are the most difficult of the whole genus to distinguish. 

 Both have furrows on the thorax, but are smaller than all the pre- 

 ceding : fluviatilis, in its clear testaceous-gray colour, exactly resem- 

 bles affinis (in company with which it occurs in the stream at Cowley), 

 but is at once distinguished by the furrows. It has none of the fer- 

 ruginous tinge which always is present, especially on the legs, even of 

 immature ruficollis. It is more strictly oval, less abruptly rounded at 

 the shoulders, and not so suddenly attenuated behind : the elytra 

 look flatter. The difference of form is best seen on the under side. 

 In both species more or less distinct dark lines mark the punctate 

 striae, and these lines in fluviatilis are usually interrupted, so as to form 

 two oblique bands on each elytron : they are never confluent, so as to 

 form maculae, which is often, but not always, the case in ruficollis. 



