39 



Apricaria is easily distinguished from consularis by its smaller size (3 to 

 3| lines), and by having the striae on the elytra not punctured at the apex, 

 Consularis has the striae deeply punctured throughout and measures about 

 4 lines in length. 



2< Length 5 to 6 lines - - A, spinipes and. A, convexiuscula. 

 Spinipes is easily recognised by its having two deep punctures between 

 the eyes, by having the thorax punctured in front, and by the elytra being 

 more or less rounded at the sides, with deep striae. Convexiuscula wants 

 the punctuation on the front of the thorax, the depressions between the eyes 

 are very shallow, the elytra are longer and paralled-sided, with finer striae. 



(A, alpina, which measures about 4J lines, is parallel-sided, but has the 

 antennae and tarsi pitchy, whereas in all the other species these are red. It 

 is very scarce, only two specimens being recorded from the Scotch mountains) . 



Of the above species, apricaria is undoubtedly the most generally distribu- 

 ted. It may often be found in moss on walls and uuder stones during the 

 winter. A. spinipes probably comes next in order of frequency, being com- 

 mon on herbage at night, and under stones in the day-time. The late Mr. 

 Kinder used to take this species freely nearly Liverpool on thistle-flowers. 

 A . fulva seems to be found most commonly in sandy places near the coast, 

 but whether it is exclusively a coast insect I cannot say. A, consularis and 

 A, convexmscula are scarcer insects, and I know nothing of their habits. 



Group B. 



Thorax wider behind than in middle. 



«. — Thorax not much narrowed in front ; colour of upper side pitchy 

 red or pitchy black. 



1. Length over three lines - - A. patricia and A, fusca. 



A, patricia measures four to five lines ; is pitch-black above with deeply 

 punctured striae, and has the dilated joints of the male anterior tarsi very 

 broad. 



A. fusca is about 4 lines in length, brownish black above ; the eyes are 

 very prominent, the elytra have very finely punctured striae, and the joints of 

 the male tarsi are narrower. 



Both species are very scarce. 



2. Length 2 to 3 lines, anterior angles of the thorax rounded - - 

 A. infima and A. bifrons. 



A. infima is very small (slightly over 2 lines), pitchy black in colour, con- 

 vex, and has short antennae. Scarce. 



