no THE YOUNG 



to a Dyschirius from its shining bronze 

 colour, rounded thorax, and elongate form, 

 but is easily distinguished by its larger size 

 (3 lines), and by not having the anterior 

 tibiae flattened and toothed. 



SPHODRUS. 



S. Icucojphthalmus somewhat resembles a 

 large wide Broscus, but is easily known from 

 that genus by the absence of a distinct neck 

 to the elytra. Its colour is dull black, and 

 the size about one inch. It occurs, but not 

 commonly, in cellars, and is known from 

 all other large Geodephaga by the almost 

 absence of striation on the elytra. 



PRISTONYCHUS. 



P. terricola, the only species of this genus, 

 is common in cellars and outhouses, and is 

 at once recognised by its shining blue-black 

 colour, and by the distinct row of impres- 

 sions in the outer interstice of the elytra. 



CALATHUS. 



The seven species of this genus may be 

 separated by means of the following table : 



A. — A row of impressions in the third, 

 and a second row in the fifth interstice 

 of each elytron cisteloides. 



B. — A row of impressions in the third 

 interstice only. 



1. — Thorax with the side margin 

 turned upwards behind to form a side- 

 border; posterior angles rounded.. /'?V^«s. 



2. — Thorax without a raised side- 

 border, and the hinder angles distinct. 



a. — Size, 4 to 5 lines : — 



Colour pitchy ; very broad . . . Juscus. 

 Colour shining black ; narrower.. JlaviJ>es. 



b. — Size, 3 to li lines : — 



Thorax and elytra reddish brown.. mollis. 



„ ,, shining black 



micropterus. 



Thorax red ; elytra black.. inelanocephalus. 

 Micvopterus is easily recognised from a 

 scarce variety of melanocephalus fnubigena), 

 which occurs on mountains, and from 



NATURALIST. 



flavipes, by having the sides of the thorax 

 more rounded. These species have the 

 sides nearly straight. C. piceus has very 

 much the appearance of an Anchomenus, but 

 is at once known from 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 5 to 9 lines in 

 length. The commonest species is un- 

 doubtedly C. melanocephalus, which is per- 

 haps 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 ; fusctis 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 greatly resembles an Anchomenus, 

 but is easily distinguished by its more 

 parallel form, shorter and more rounded 

 thorax, and light-coloured legs and antennae. 

 Its rounded thorax also causes it to some- 

 what 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. 



OLISTHOPUS. 

 The only species, 0. rotundatus, is easily 

 separated from Anchomenus 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 distribu- 

 ted, but seems to prefer hilly situations. 

 STOMIS. 



S. pumicatus, easily known by its elongate 

 form and prominent jaws. In size it is 

 about k inch ; colour black, with legs and 

 antennae red. Generally distributed. 



