Page:Madras journal of literature and science vol 1 new series 1856-57.djvu/81

1856.] have joints 2-4 brown. The tarsi are setose below joints 2-3 and the apex of the first of the anterior ones wearing fine yellowish silky brushes instead.

All over the Island the Rhipiphorides and Mordellinæ appear to be very scarce, with the exception of 1 or 2 species of Anaspis which are not occasionally taken in flowers. Still I recollect having met with about seven species including two large Mordellæ which however I have not been fortunate enough to catch as yet.

Fam. STAPHYLINIDÆ. Trib.

11. Œdichirus alatus. N.

Œ. alatus, setosus, nitidus, rufo-testaceus, thorace dilatiore, capite, elytris abdominisque segmentis 3 ultimis nigris; elytris apice 2-maculatis, maculis rufo-testaceis; pedibus flavis, femoribus apice tibiis que basi nigrescentibus; autennis palpisque maxill. basi obscuris, apice testaceis, reliquis oris partibus rufo-piceis. Long. corp. 3 lin.

''Œ. pæderino'' Er. siraillimus, præter colorum distributionem differt tamen alis, elytorum antennarumque articuli ultimi sculptura. Antennæ art. ultimo penultimo æquali nisi paulo minore, apice fortiter truncato leviterque excavato. Thorax ''Œ. pæderini'', dorso punctis biseriatim impressus, serie interna vel centrali elliptica punctis minoribus magis inter se approximatis, externa vel submarginali punctis magnis distantibus. Elytra oblonge subquadrata, infra medium rotundata, thorace longiora et fere duplo ampliora (utrumque elytron thoracis fere magnitudine), basi parte thoracis adjacente duplo—infra medium illius latitudine antica plus tertia parte latiora. Os, pedes et abdomen ''Œ. pæderini.''

Pæderorum more victitare videtur; in eorum societate in lacus Colombensis ripis infrequentissime legi; illis minus gracilis atque minus agilis.

I have not had an opportunity of examining specimens of either of the three Œdichiri hitherto described. However, I have before me Erichson's figure and description of the Sicilian ''Œ. pæderinus'' with which I find my species strongly to agree.