Before making any observations upon the species illustrated, 
it will be necessary to transcribe Mannerheim’s outline of his 
genus Homalota, viz, 
“ Maxillary palpi short, the last joint subulated : mouth not 
rostrate : tibiae unarmed : head more or less exserted : thorax 
frequently rounded, the angles scarcely deflexed : antennae not 
abruptly incrassated, but gradually thickening to the apex : 
head subsessile; base of the thorax never broad : last joint of 
the tarsi equal to the others united.” 
It is evident that the insect dissected and described on the 
opposite page does not agree with the essential character of 
Homalota, the terminal joint of the tarsi being scarcely so long 
as the basal one. Whether this be a sexual distinction only 
I know not ; but as Dejean, who has adopted Mannerheim’s 
Genera, has included the A. dimidi at a Grav. in that genus, I 
have preferred letting it remain rather than multiply names by 
separating it. The type of the genus is 
1. H. plana Gyl. 2. 402. 24., and the following are his cha- 
racters : 
u Elongate-linear depressed, black somewhat opake, punc- 
tulate, antennae, legs and anus fuscous-ferruginous, thorax 
obscurely channelled, elytra quadrate piceous : scarcely a line 
long.” 
Specimens, it is believed, of this insect were taken at Croft in 
Yorkshire last April, under the bark of a decaying Elm, in 
company with Prognathus quadricornis and Agatliidium nigri- 
penne , and afterwards in June in the New Forest, under the 
rotten bark of an Oak, by the Rev. G. T. Rudd. 
2. dimidiata Grav, — Curt. Brit. Ent. pi. 514. 
Rather dull black, thickly and minutely punctured, clothed 
with very short yellowish pubescence ; antennae brown, 4 
basal joints and trophi ochreous : head sloped off in front ; 
thorax hollow on the back, with an obscure channel : elytra 
bright ochre with a narrow transverse black band at the base : 
legs ochreous. 
The Rev. John Preston informs me that he took this inter- 
esting species at Askham Bogs, near Tadcaster in Yorkshire, 
in the spring of the present year : they were extremely local, 
and occurred only in large tufts of grass, which abound in 
that locality. The best mode of capturing them was found to 
be by beating the tufts into a net. The agility of this insect is 
truly remarkable, and it runs with amazing rapidity. It was 
also taken at the same place by the Rev. G. T. Rudd and 
Thomas Meynell, Esq., who were directed to the spot by their 
friend Mr. Preston, and to the former of these gentlemen I 
am indebted for my specimens. 
The Plant is Anthoxanthum odoratum (Spring Grass). 
