1894-1 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



221 



Olisthopus, under the tribal term Anchomenina. They appear to 

 be placed in the same order as that adopted in Canon Fowler's 

 " Coleoptera of the British Islands" (1887). In the catalogue by 

 Matthews and Fowler (1883) the genus Masoreus was likewise 

 included ; but the Masoreina are now considered to be undoubted 

 Truncatipennes, and are placed in a distinct tribe by themselves after 

 the Trechina by both Sharp and Fowler. 



Over a hundred species are known to inhabit the northern hemi- 

 sphere, but seven only are found in the British Isles, and these are 

 mostly of a uniform black or dark-brown colour. C. melunocephalus 

 has a red thorax, and C. micvoptevus has the side margins of the 

 thorax narrowly red or testaceous. With the exception of the last 

 species, all are tolerably common and easily obtained by the student 

 in his early collecting days from various localities, under stones, at 

 roots of grass, and in damp places. 



C. cisteloides, Panz. — Insect apterous ; black. Elytra with two rows 

 of pores, either on the fifth and third interstices or the striae. The 

 legs are sometimes entirely red, or red with pitchy femora, or entirely 

 black. Common and generally distributed. 



C. fuscus, F. — Insect winged ; fuscous brown. Elytra finely striated, 

 striae impunctate, third interstice with two or three pores. This 

 species is sometimes confounded with C. mollis and C. flavipcs, but 

 differs from both the latter in having the inner side of the first joint 

 of the tarsi hollowed out or flattened. Generally distributed in the 

 South of England, and more often found under dung patches. It 

 appears to be commoner in sandy places, such as Deal, where it has 

 been taken by Mr. Newbery and others. Also recently captured by 

 myself on clay soil on banks of Grand Junction Canal near Willesden. 



C. flavipes, Fourc. — Insect apterous ; shining black. Exceedingly 

 like C. cisteloides , but distinguished from that species by the absence 

 of pores on the fifth striae. Rather local, but frequently found in 

 some numbers. The late Mr. R. Gillo took it freely on the sand and 

 sandhills at Burnham under refuse, roots of plants, &c, but always 

 near the shore. Mr. G. C. Hall recorded it from Deal sandhills, 

 stating that it was likely to be overlooked " on account of its resem- 

 blance to a small cisteloides, but it has a neater and more delicate 

 appearance." The species occurs also at Rainham (Essex), Liverpool 

 district, and is also recorded from Dublin. 



C. melanocephalus, L. — Insect apterous ; head black, thorax red or 

 yellowish red, border of posterior angles narrow, not raised. A very 

 common species throughout the British Islands. 



Var. nubigena, Haliday. — First discovered by Haliday in Ireland. It 

 appears to be fairly common on the mountains in Wicklow, and but 

 recently Mr. H. G. Cuthbert took several, very kindly sending me 



