242 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



(.329) 1. * Meloe impressa. Impressed Meloe. 



M. (impressa) violacea ; antennis irregularibus, prothorace postice longitudinaliler impresso. 



Impressed Meloe, violet-coloured : antennae irregular: prothorax with a longitudinal posterior impression. 



Length of the body 5| lines. 



A single specimen taken in Lat. 65°. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Nearly related to Meloe violacea, but very much smaller. Body violet-coloured. Head with 

 scattered but not large punctures ; front between the antennae transversely and obtusely elevated ; 

 antenna irregular : prothorax not much narrower than the head, anteriorly rounded, posteriorly 

 narrower and emarginate, towards the base with a deepish impression, with several scattered but not 

 large punctures, and two little transverse oblique crescents formed of punctures : elytra wrinkled : 

 outer claws and spurs rufo-piceous, inner claws paler. 



(330) 2. * Meloe nigra. Black Meloe. 



M. (nigra J nigra, punctulata ; antennis irregularibus, basi, tibiis, tarsisque violaceis; prothorace postice impresso. 

 Black Meloe, black, minutely punctured ; antenna? irregular, at the base violet-coloured, as is also the whole of the tibiae 

 and tarsi ; prothorax impressed behind. 



Length of the body 6 lines. 



A single specimen taken in Lat. 65°. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Extremely similar to the preceding species, but the body is all black with no tint of violet, except 

 the base of the antenna; below the band and the tibia? and tarsi : the head and prothorax are more 

 thickly punctured, and the claws and spurs are ferruginous. 



XIII. MALACODERMA. Lat. 



The Malacoderma of Latreille by the soft substance of their elytra, and their 

 reticulations in some species ofLyeus, seem to make an approach to the Orthoptera. 

 They appear to branch oft* from the Elateridans by Campylus to Cebrio, and there- 

 fore we must now be regarded as retracing our steps to take a fresh route from 

 that family in a new direction towards the Orthoptera. 



