258 ^"^P"'' 
H. BiNOTATUS, Steph., the largest in the geinis, is not uncommon under sea- 
weed at certain parts of our southern coasts. It differs from H. prcBvius in having 
a less convex thorax (of which the sides are not so straight, being gradually and 
perceptibly contracted from the base towards the front) and the base of its antennse 
of a lighter testaceous colour. The antennae, also, are longer, with the joints more 
conic, the penultimate being rather longer than broad ; the legs are rather lighte* 
in colour, the elytra are margined with testaceous at the apex, and the abdomen is 
not so closely punctured. Its broader head, longer elytra, and widely different 
habitat, will serve to separate this species from H. dissimilis. 
In Erichson's description the word scutellum in the last line of p. 516 should, 
obviously, be abdomen. 
I possess a specimen of this insect (given to me by its captor, Mr. Brewer) in 
which the elytra have no light apical margin. 
H. DISSIMILIS, Grav., is frequently found in abundance at the bottoms of hay- 
stacks, in company with Haploglossa prcetexta, divers Stilici, Monotomm, small bugs 
(pallid, ghost-like, but of the genuine "bouquet"), Cryptophagi, Typhcea, &c. It 
somewhat closely resembles some of the smaller Quedii (e. g., boops and semi-ceneus), 
but may be readily known on the collecting-paper by a certain snake-like attenuation 
of its head and thorax, and by its very rapid movements and ashy-pubescent 
appearance. Its oblong-oval head easily distinguishes it from its congeners, from 
which it differs also in being of a lighter colour, — its elytra often having the lateral 
and apical margins widely testaceous or reddish-testaceous, and its thorax being 
sometimes pitchy, instead of deep black. Its abdomen is less closely punctured 
than in the other species, and the joints of its antennse are slightly longer than in 
n. binotatus. 
H. QUADRiPUNCTULUS, Grav. (or, rather, the insect which I refer to that species), 
seems to be next in rarity to H. prcevius. There are three specimens of it in Mr. 
G. R. Waterhouse's cabinet and two in my own ; and Mr. E. A. Smith and Mr. J. 
A. Brewer appear to have taken it in the month of June, in nests of Formica 
fuliginosa, at Hampstead and Tilgate Forest. It is about the size of U. dissimiUs, 
from which, as from all its congeners, it may be known by its almost entirely black 
colour, the head and thorax being deep and polished black, and the antennae 
entirely dark, even at the base : the only light parts appear to be the legs, which 
are pitchy-testaceous (in my specimens they are pitchy-brown). Compai'ed with 
H. dissimiUs, the head is less oblong, the abdomen is more closely and delicately 
punctured, the elytra are less closely punctured, and the penultimate joints of the 
antennas are not quite so elongate. 
Kraatz (1. c, p. 486) seems rather to obscure his description of this species by 
terming its antennae " graciles" and " schlank'" (adjectives not to be entirely recon- 
ciled with his further account of those organs, which he particularizes as being 
slightly thickened towards the extremity), and by referring to the head (and thorax) 
as somewhat longer and narrower than in H. dissimilis. These characters, as 
regards the antennae, seem scarcely supported by his own description ; and, as 
regards the head, are contradicted by the terms of the diagnosis given by him for 
each of the two insects in question, for therein he terms the head of quadripunctulus 
ovate, and of dissimiUs oblong-ovate, — in accordance with Erichson in each case. 
