92 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



This species is, I apprehend, StaphyUnus poUtus of the Linnean Cabinet, since 

 Mr. Stephens has marked it as such in his Catalogue above quoted, either from his 

 own inspection of the Linnean specimens, or on the authority of a manuscript of 

 mine, now in his hands, written long ago when I examined that collection with a 

 view only to the British species of insects. 8 It must, however, be observed, that it 

 appears from Linne's description, in his Fauna Succica, that he regarded several 

 distinct species as merely varieties of it. I have on the above account considered 

 it as the genuine St. poUtus, under which name it stands in my last MS. Catalogue; 

 which, though made many years ago, is more recent than that from which Mr. 

 Stephens appears to have borrowed his name. 



Mr. Marsham's synonym is rather dubious, since his description of his St. simiUs 

 does not accord with the insect here given as St. poUtus, which has a black head 

 and prothorax somewhat bronzed, and elytra more bronzed. I have not placed 

 Gyllenhal's synonym under St. oeneus, since he describes his insect as having a sub- 

 quadrangular head, and the side of the prothorax rather sinuated towards the base, 

 which does not at all correspond with our insect. 



The species generally regarded as P. poUtus is distinguished by an ovate head, 

 and may probably have been considered by Linne - merely as a variety of his insect. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Body very black, hairy. Head orbicular, scarcely narrower than the prothorax, naked with the 

 exception of a few long lateral bristle-like hairs, slightly bronzed, very glossy, smooth with a few 

 punctures on each side in the occiput ; antenna? shorter than the prothorax, last joint emarginate at 

 the tip : prothorax rather narrowest before and transverse, rounded behind, slightly bronzed, very 

 glossy and smooth, with a few long hairs on each side, on the disk is a double series, each consisting 

 of four punctures, there are three or four others in the sides : elytra bronzed, thickly punctured 

 with a long hair issuing from each puncture : claws of the tarsi ferruginous. 



(129) 2. * Philonthus mandibulars. Mandibular Philonthus. 



P. (mandibularisj ater, pilosus, capite ovato prothoraceque, glaberrimis nitidissimis aneo-nigris ; mandibulis capite brevioribus 

 castanets, elytris ancis. 



Mandibular Philonthus, very black, hairy : head ovate with the prothorax quite naked and very glossy, bronzed-black ; man- 

 dibles shorter than the head, chestnut; elytra bronzed. 



Length of the body 5 lines. 



Locality unknown. 



8 In his Illustrations he does not give the reference to P. poliius. 



