49 



b. Upper side pitchy ; the suture and side margin pale. Length 1 J 

 lines - - - - - - B. similis, 



Of the species of the genus, several are common and widely distributed, 

 such as B. verbasci, B. harpalinus, and B. similis. B. placidus, B. cogna- 

 tus, and B. distinctus are fairly common, while B. collaris is very scarce. 



B. harpalinus and B. similis seem partial to hilly ground, and the latter 

 we take plentifully in September and October among dead leaves of heather. 

 B, distinctus I have only taken once, but then it was plentiful in a swamp 

 among rushes. 



Family BBMBIBTIDM 



The family Bembidiid^: is distinguished from all the other British Geode- 

 phaga by having the last joint of the palpi sharp and needle-shaped, while 

 the last but one is thickened. The British species, comprised in five genera, 

 Limnceum, Cillenum, Tachys, Bembidium, and Tachypus, are all of small size, 

 usually from 1\ to 2^ lines in length, and with the exception of the genus 

 Bembidium, the genera do not contain many species. 



One of these genera (Tachypus) is distinguished by the two species possess- 

 ing great general resemblance to a small Elaphrus, having very prominent 

 eyes, and the elytra have patches of pubescence which give them a variegated 

 appearance. 



The two genera Limnceum and Tachys are distinguished by having no scu- 

 tellary stria; the species of the genus Tachys are very small (1 to 1J lines), 

 while the single species of the genus Limnceum measures 2 lines in length. 



Of the two remaining genera the single species of Cillenum is distinguished 

 from all the species of the genus Bembidium by the elytra being yellowish 

 brown in colour, much elongate, and with the sides perfectly parallel. 



LIMN.EUM. 



L. nigropiceum, not a very common species, is pitchy in colour ; the an- 

 tennas, palpi and legs are dirty red ; the elytra are nearly square, and have 

 the striae near the suture very deep. Length 2 lines. 



CILLENUM. 



C. laterale. — Head and thorax bronze-green, the thorax much narrowed 

 behind, with the posterior angles sharp. Length 2 lines. This species, 

 which seems to be not very widely distributed, occurs in the Liverpool dis- 

 trict in clayey places on the shore, near the mouth of fresh-water streams. 



