Royal Physical Society. 127 



margins, slightly arched; densely and finely punctate, almost 

 twice as broad as long, as broad at the base as the elytra, or 

 very nearly so, narrowed in front ; posterior angles right-angled, 

 pointed; posterior margin almost straight. Elytra oval, acu- 

 minate, densely punctate, without traces of striae, except the 

 sutural ; reddish-brown, often brownish at the extremity. Under 

 side blackish-brown. Legs ferruginous. 



Distinguished from the other European species of this sub- 

 division, except alpinus and scitulus, by its short, thick, heavily- 

 clubbed antennae. 



The alpinus is clearer in colour, is longer, and has the thorax 

 usually narrower than the elytra. Scitulus differs from fumatus 

 in having the antennae longer, the elytra broader, the posterior 

 angles of the thorax projecting, and the colour somewhat dif- 

 ferent, the elytra being brown, without the reddish tint which 

 is characteristic of fumatus, particularly at the base of the elytra, 

 and having a marked sericeous lustre. 



One of the commonest species. It is found in Scotland and 

 England, and all over Europe, under detritus, in decaying fungi 

 and under leaves. 



27. C. alpinus, Gyll. 

 Catops alpinus, Gyll. Ins. iv. 3121. 2 ; Heer, Fn. Helv. i. 318. 11 ; Kraatz, 



Stett. Ent. Zeit. xiii. 435. 21. 

 Catops subfuscus, Kellner, Stett. Ent. Zeit. viii. 177. 4; Redt. Fn. Aust. 771 



Oblongo-ovalis,fusco-piceus; antennis abrupte clavatis, Fig. 30.* 

 basi ferrugineis ; thorace brevi, angulis posticis ob- 

 tusiusculis ; elytris pedibusque rufo-brunneis. 



Long. 1^-lf lin. 



Very like C. fumatus, but usually somewhat larger, 

 with a narrower thorax, the posterior angles of which 

 are obtuse, and the basal margin not so broad as 

 the elytra. The antennae are as long as the head 

 and thorax, with the basal joints reddish and thick ; 

 club blackish; the last joint is usually black, but sometimes 

 yellowish at the tip. The head is black, densely and finely 

 punctate, with a yellowish pubescence. The thorax is blackish- 

 brown, densely punctate, densely clothed with yellow hairs, at 

 the basal margin not so broad as the elytra, cut straight, and 

 slightly sinuate on both sides of the scutellum, the anterior 

 angles obtuse and the posterior angles slightly rounded. The 

 elytra are oval, densely punctate, lightly clothed with yellow 

 pubescence, clear reddish-brown, generally blackish at the tip 

 and towards the suture. The legs are brownish-red. 



The normal specimens are readily distinguished from fumatus 

 by their larger size and more elongate form, and by the thorax 

 * The comparative breadth of the elytra is rather exaggerated in this figure. 



