31 



2. — Thorax without a raised side-border, and the hinder angles distinct. 



a. — Length, 4 to 5 lines : 



Colour pitchy ; very broad - - fuscus. 

 Colour shining black ; narrower - - flavipes. 



b. ^- Length, 3 to 2>\ lines : 



Thorax and elytra reddish brown - - mollis. 

 „ „ shining black - - micropterus. 



Thorax red ; elytra black - - melanocephalus. 

 Micropterus is easily recognised from a scarce variety of melanocephalus 

 ( nubigena ) which occurs on mountains in Scotland, and from flavipes , by 

 having the sides of the thorax more rounded. These species have the sides 

 nearly straight. C.piceus, about 4 lines in length) has very much the 

 appearance of an Anchomenus, but it is at once known from members of that 

 genus by its furrowed tarsi. Cisteloides and flavipes have a great general 

 resemblance, but may be distinguished as above ; cisteloides also is much 

 larger, varying from five to nine lines in length. The commonest species is 

 undoubtedly C. melancephalus, which is perhaps one of the first beetles met 

 with by a beginner. C. cisteloides is also abundant on waste lands ; C. 

 flavipes and mollis seem to prefer sandy coasts ; fuscus is a somewhat local 

 insect ; piceus is generally distributed, and, I think, more partial to woods 

 than the other species of the genus ; and micropterus occurs sparingly on 

 high mountains in Wales and Scotland. 



TAPHRIA. 



T. nivalis, which measures about \ inch in length, greatly resembes an 

 Anchomenus, but is easily distinguished by its more parallel form, shorter 

 and more rounded thorax, and light-coloured legs and antennas. Its rounded 

 thorax also causes it to somewhat resemble Olisthopus, but it is known 

 from the latter by its deep black colour. The species seems generally 

 distributed. It occurs with us under stones in damp hedge bottoms. 



OLISTHOPIJS. 



The only species, 0. rotundatus, is easily separated from Anckomenus by 

 the three following characters, no species of that genus possessing these three 

 together, viz : — Yellow palpi, antennae, and legs ; short and wide (almost 

 round) thorax; bronze brown colour. The species is generally distributed, 

 but seems to prefer hilly situations. 



STOMIS. 



5. pumicatus is easily known by its elongate form and prominent jaws. 

 In size it is about \ inch; colour black, with legs and antennae red. 

 Generally distributed. 



