120 Proceedings of the 



This very distinct species is distinguished at once by the large 

 black club of its antennae. When seen along with other species, 

 its gloomy black opake appearance, combined with a larger club 

 of the antennae than any other species, at once point it out. The 

 only other large black species in this group are picipes and 

 nigricans, and neither of these has heavy thick-clubbed antennae. 

 From the other thick-clubbed species (none of which however 

 have antennae equal to it in thickness), it may be quickly distin- 

 guished by its gloomy black colour, and by the dull ash-grey 

 bloom on the elytra. The pubescence on the thorax is dull 

 grizzly yellow, a good deal coarser than the strong rich russet 

 yellow of tristis and the other thick-clubbed species ; and the 

 bloom on the elytra wants the purplish tinge observable in 

 these species ; and there are no yellow hairs along the base or 

 margins of the elytra, which are not lighter in colour themselves 

 than the thorax. Immature specimens wholly ferruginous brown 

 are occasionally met with. The thickness of the club of the 

 antennae is also not always equally great, but always greater 

 than in any other species. 



As I have already mentioned in speaking of the varieties of 

 tristis, similar varieties occur of this species, viz. : — 



Var. grandicollis, with larger broad thorax. 



Var. tristis, with narrow short thorax and broad elytra. 



Var. rotundicollis, of the shape of rotundicollis, but larger. 



Var. nigrita, of the shape of nigrita. 



For the differences between these varieties and the similarly 

 named varieties of tristis, see the remarks on page 42. 



As I have already mentioned, this species used very generally 

 to be made to represent both tristis and chrysomeloides by British 

 and even foreign entomologists. 



It is found under small dead birds and mammals. Mr. Bates 

 of Leicester has taken hundreds (and supplied me largely) by a 

 simple trap which is very useful for taking some of our rarest 

 Clavicornes. He puts three or four rabbits' feet into a soda-water 

 bottle, buries it in a favourable locality, so that the mouth of the 

 bottle is level with the ground, and in a week or ten days the 

 interior of the bottle is swarming with insects, among which 

 great rarities occasionally occur. 



Exotic Species. 



18. C. celer, Lucas. 

 Catops celer, Lucas, Explor. de l'Algerie, Anim. Art. ii. p. 225. 

 Oblongo-ovatus, fulvo-pubescens ; capite subtilissime granario ; 

 antennis ferrugineis, ultimis articulis fuscis ; thorace granario, 



