45 



COLEOPTEEA OF THE LIVERPOOL DISTRICT. 



By JOHN W. ELLIS, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S.E., 



Liverpool; Hon. Sec. Lancashire and Cheshire Efitotnological Society. 



PART IV. 



BRACHELYTRA. 



(Read before the Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society, November 26th, 1883.) 



I PURPOSE in this paper bringing before you the various species of 

 the Shortwinged Beetles, commonly known as the Bracheiyira, or 

 » shortly, as 'Staphs' (an abbreviation of Staphylini^, which have 

 occurred in our district. This group contains the largest number 

 of British species of all the Coleoptera, and the individual members 

 are often very minute and difficult of determination. I have to ex- 

 press my obligation to the Rev. W. W. Fowler, of Lincoln, for his 

 assistance in aiding me in the diagnosis of difficult species ; and I 

 have again to acknowledge the assistance derived from Mr. Archer's 

 (of Crosby) Diary for the years 1862-63. I sorry to find so many 

 species occur with only my own initials appended, but the difficulties 

 of determination, and (often) of mounting this group generally cause 

 beginners to put off their collection of these beetles to a more con- 

 venient season. I have derived great assistance from Messrs. Wilding 

 and Kinder, in their furnishing me with localities, and I am pleased 

 to be able to enumerate about 220 species as inhabitants of the dis- 

 trict, this number including several species hitherto found very rarely 

 in Britain. 



The initials F. K., R. W., and J. W. E. refer to Messrs. Kinder, 

 Wilding, and myself respectively. 



ALEOCHARID^. 



Autalia impressa 01. 



Three specimens taken in the district; locality unknown (F.K.). 

 Autalia rivularis Grav. 



A single specimen taken under bark at Bromborough, in May 

 1883 (J.W.E.). 

 Falagria sulcata Pk. 



Several specimens under bark of fir, Bidston (J.W.'E.). 

 Falagria obscura Grav. 



In nests of the black ant, at Eastham, June 1863 (F. Archer); 

 two specimens with F. sulcata (J.W.E.). 

 Bolitochara obliqua Er. 



Under bark, Eastham; not scarce (R.W., J.W.E.). 

 Phytosus balticus Kr. 



A single specimen from the shore, Hightown, May 1882 

 (J.W.E.). Crosby, abundant in spring 1884 (Z?'.). 



Sept. 1884. 



