12 THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



NOTES ON COLEOPTERA, 

 FOR BEGINNERS. 



By Dr. J. W. Ellis and Mr. Smedley, 

 Liverpool. 



Genus BEMBIDIUM. 



The insects comprised in this genus are 

 very numerous, and many of them so much 

 resemble closely allied species, that their 

 identification is often a matter of some 

 difficulty. The species now included in the 

 genus vary much among themselves, and 

 were originally classed in five or six different 

 genera. One species, at least, is separated 

 by its general appearance from all the 

 others of the genus, I allude to B, palu- 

 dosum, which is recognised at once by its 

 prominent eyes, which cause it to resemble 

 a small Elaphrus or a large Tachypus; its 

 colour is coppery or greenish bronze, and 

 its size about i\ lines — being one of the 

 largest species of the genus. It does not 

 seem to be anywhere common, and is 

 generally among the desiderata of collectors. 

 Omitting this we may divide the remaining 

 species of the genus into two principal 

 groups, according as the thorax is long or 

 short. 



In Group I. the thorax is transverse, that 

 is, much broader from side to side than 

 from front to back, and it is not narrowed 

 behind, although four species of the group 

 have the base slightly prominent in the 

 middle and scolloped out at each side ; but 

 even here the posterior angles are blunt, 

 and the sides between the anterior and 

 posterior angles are not narrowed behind. 



Group I. — Thorax transverse. 



a. Base of thorax straight or nearly so. 



B. rufescens. Head and thorax red; 

 elytra bluish-brown. Length, i\ lines. 



B. quinquestriatum. Whole upper side 

 dark green. Antennae yellow. Length, 2 

 lines. 



B. obtusum. Blackish green. Length, i£ 

 lines. 



Of the above species rufescens seems tol- 

 erably common, occuring in moss from 

 autumn to spring ; quinquestriatum is scarce, 

 occurring also in moss on walls : and oUu- 

 sum seems also fairly common, inhabiting 

 during the winter similar situations. 



b Base of thorax slightly prominent in the 

 middle, scolloped at each side. 



Two of the species of this sub-division 

 are distinguished by having a distinct round 

 -red spot before the apex of each elytron, the 

 the apex itself being sometimes red. These 

 are :— ■ 



B. biguttatum. Length, 2 lines. Sides of 

 the elytra nearly parallel. 



B. guttula. Length, i\ lines. Sides of 

 the elytra more rounded. 



The remaining two species of this sub- 

 division are destitute of the red spot, al- 

 though often having the apex of the elytra 

 somewhat reddish. 



B. eeneum Length, 2 lines. Bronze- 

 black, legs dark brown. 



B. Manner heimi. Length, i\ lines. Brown- 

 ish-black ; legs yellow. 



Biguttatum, eeneum, and guttula seem to 

 be fairly common in wet places, as by the 

 sides of tidal rivers ; Mannerheimi is more 

 local. 



Group II. — Thorax narrowed behind, 



WITH SHARP POSTERIOR ANGLES. 



a. Strice as distinct at the sides and apex 

 as near the suture. 



1. Strice on elytra not punctured. 

 B.prasinum Bronze; elytra flat. Length 



2£ lines. 



2. Strice deeply punctured throughout. 

 B. punctulatum. Bronze-green. Length, 

 2$- lines. 



3 Strice punctured, but not to the apex. 



B ephippium. Elytra yellow, with a 

 dark blotch behind; antennae and legs 

 yellow. Length i£ lines. 



B. obliquum. Elytra bronze, with two 



