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THE
ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE:
CONDUCTED BY
J. W. DOUGLAS. E. C. EYE, P.Z.S.
E. McLACHLAN, E.E.S. H. T. STAINTON, F.E.S.
VOL. XV.
" I suppose you are an entomologist ?
" Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name. No man can be truly called an entomologist, sir J the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp." — Oliver Wendell Holmes (The Foet at the Breakfast Table). >^
^H-'^^'^'
LONDON: JOHN VAN VOOEST, 1, PATEENOSTER EOW.
1878-9.
LONDON :
NAPIER, PKINTER, SEYMOL'R STREET, EUSTON SQUARE.
MDCCCLXXIX.
^7 V ' /'-'^ f
INDEX.
PACE PAGE
General Index i. , Index to Contkibutors xvii.
Entomological Society ix. I Genera and Species new to Science... xviii.
I
,, ,, ,y i> .1 Britain... xx.
Larv^ of British Species described... xx.
Special Index xii.
Coleoptera xii.
Diptera xiii.
Hemiptera-Heteroptera xiii.
„ Homoptera xiii.
Hymeiioptera xiv.
Lepidoptera xiv.
Neuroptera xvii.
Reviews xx.
Obituary xx.
WOOD-CDTg XX.
Errata xx.
PAGE
150, 205
187, 205
107
41
107
108, 138
88
107
113
199
10,99
12
36
14
INDEX TO GENERAL SUBJECTS.
Abraxas grossulariata, Autumnal pupation of .. . „ „ Variety of the larva of .
Acherontia Atropos and Thecla quercus near Bedford
„ „ in the County Cork
„ „ „ „ Isle of Man
Acidalia imitaria, Description of the larva of
„ oehrata, Capture of Acronycta alni in the New Forest
„ „ near Hastings, Rhophites quinquespinosus and
Aculeate Hymenoptera, Descriptions of new species of British
African Hemiptera-Heteroptera, Notes on
Alternation of generations in the Cynipidee, Dimorphism and
Anobium paniceum, Strange locality for
Apatura Iris in the New Forest...
Aphides and other soft-bodied insects for collections, On the preservation of
164, 191, 204
„ , Migrations of 166,190
„ , Notes on Cynipidae and ... ... ... ... ... ... 42
Aphodius new to Britain, A species of ... ... ... ... ... 280
Apion Hookeri and Thyamis dorsalis, On the habits of ... ... ... 204
,, Schoenherri in abundance in Sheppy ... ... ... ... ... 162
Argyrolcpia (or Eupcecilia) Mussehliana near Pembroke, Capture of .. 39
Ascension, Destructive insects in the Island of ... ... ... ... 79
Australian Qicophoridffi, On the ... ... ... ... ... ... 259
Autumnal pupation of Abraxas grossulariata ... ... ... ... ...150,205
Bagous diglyptus. Boh. (a species new to the Britisli list), at Burton-on-Ti-ent 235
Beetle ornaments. Living ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 116
Biston hirtaria. On the habits of ... ... ... ... ... ... 14
British collectors ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 240
„ Hemiptera — Additional species ... ... ... ... ... 201
„ ,, , Notes on some species of ... ... ... ... ...235,253
„ „ -Heteroptera, Remarks on some ... ... ... ... 66
„ „ -Homoptera, On certain ... ... ... ... ... 231
PAGR
British species of the genus Odynerus, Notes on the 249
„ Tortriees, Notes on ... ..141,247
" Butterflies of North America, The, by W. H. Edwards : " Review ... 262
„ , Descriptions of six new ... ... ... ... ... ... 151
„ observed in the Valais in 1878, Notes on ... 275
„ of Port Baklar, Turkey, Notes on the 193
Butterfly new to the Fauna of Japan, Record of a .. ... 257
Csenis (Ephemeridte) from Lake Nyassa, Description of two species of ... 2G8
Caprification of the sycamore-fig. — Correction of an error ... ... ... 190
Capture of Acidalia ochrata ... ... ... .. ... ... ... 88
„ „ Argyrolepia (or Eupoecilia) Mussehliaua near Pembroke ... 39
„ „ Odynerus basalis ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 257
„ „ Semasia gallicolana .. ... ... ., ... ... ... 238
Captures of Lepidoptera at Bishop's Wood, near Selby ... ... ... 71
"Catalogue of the British Tenthredinidse, by P. Cameron :" Review ... 210 Ceratorrluua, both from West Afi'ica, Description of a new species of PL^esior-
rhina (Cetoniidse) and a note on an apparently new species of 198 „ gemina from West Africa, Description of a new species of
Cucuj us from Assam, and of ... ... ... ... ... 234
Cetoniidce of Madagascar, Further contributions to the knowledge of the ... 84
Change of generic names ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 36,88
„ „ nomenclature in Coleoptera ... ... ... ... ... 36, 88
Characters of new genera and descriptions of new species of Geodephaga
from the Hawaiian Islands ... ... ... ... ... ... ...119,156
Cheimatobia brumata. On the power of resisting intense cold possessed by... 205, 237
Chrysocorys festaliella, Singular habit of ... ... ... ... ... 69
Chrysopa tenella, Schneider ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 91
Cicada montana. Scop., Note on the synonymy of ... ... ... ... 209
Cicadidee, Description of a new Homopterous insect belonging to the family 76
Cidaria reticulata, Description of the larva of... ... ... .. ... 61
Cistolidae from Honolulu, Description of a new genus and species of Hetcr-
omerous Coleoptera of the family ... ... ... ... ... ... 267
Clivina fossor myrmccophilous ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 19
Coccyx distinctana, Wilkinson, Note on ... ... ... ... .. 109
Cold, On the powerof resisting intense, posses.sed by Clieimatobia brumata... 205, 237
Coleoptera from New Zealand, New ... ... ... ... ... ... 47,81
„ of Chobham, Notes on the ... ... ... ... ... ... 203
Colias Edusa at Folkestone ... ... .. ... ... ... ... 14
Cordulcgaster from Costa Rica, Description of a new species of ... ... 35
Cordulia Curtisi in Hampshire ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 92
Crambus contaminellus. Description of the larva of ... ... ... .., 38
,, geniculeus. Natural History of ... ... ... ... ... 206
Cucujiis from Assam, Description of a new species of, and of Ceratorrhina
gemina from West Africa ... .. ... ... ... ... ... 234
Cyllocoris flavonotatus, Boh., a Globiceps or a Cyllocoris ? Is ... ... 113
Cynipida? and Aphides, Notes on ... ... ... ... ... ... 42
„ , Dimorphism and alternations of generations in the ... ... 12
Deili'phila livornica at Knutsford ... ... ... . . ... ... 72
Depressaria, hitherto confounded with the atomella of our Cabinets, On a
new 188,208
Description of a new genus and species of Heteromerous Coleoptera of the
family Cistelidse from Honolulu ... ... ... 267
Greodephagoua Beetle, of the family Scaritidse ... 186
Homopterous insect belonging to the family Cicadidffi 76
species of Butterfly from the Sandwich Islands ... 9
„ „ Cordulegaster from Costa Rica ... ... 35
„ „ Cucujus from Assam, and of Ceratorrhina
gemina from West Africa ... ... 234
„ „ Heliocopris ... ... ... ... ... 153
„ ,, Hetffirina fi'om Costa Rica ... ... ... 244
„ „ PlBBsiorrhina (Cetoniidse), and a note on an apparently new species of Ceratorrhina
both from West Africa 198
„ „ „ „ „ „ Siderodactylus, injurious to grape vines in
the Island of Ascension ... ... 185
„ ,, the larva, &c., of Myelois pinguis ... ... ... ... 162
„ „ „ „ of Acidalia imitaria .. ... ... ... ...108,138
„ „ „ „ „ Cidaria reticulata ... ... ... ... 61
„ „ „ „ „ Crambus contaminellus .. ... ... ... 38
„ „ „ „ „ Eubolia bipunctaria ... ... ... ... 37
„ ,, „ ,, ,, Eupoecilia maculosaua, and its habits ... ... 149
,, „ „ „ ,, Miana furuncula .. ... ... ... ... 91,108
„ „ „ „ „ Myelois cribrum ... ... ... ... ... 258
„ „ „ „ „ Pyrameis Huntera ... ... ... ... 16
„ „ „ „ „ Selidosema plumaria ... ... ... ... 137
„ „ „ „ „ Tinea orientalis ... ... ... ... ... 187
„ „ two new European species of Psyllidse ... ... ... 265
Descriptions of new species of British Aculeate Hymenoptera ... ... 199
,) „ „ „ „ ErycinidsB ... ... ... ... ... 101
,, „ „ ,, „ Geodephaga from the Hawaiian Islands,
Characters of new genera and ... ...119, 156
,, „ „ „ „ Trichoptera from Scandinavia ... ... 274
„ „ six new Butterflies ... ... ... ... ... ... 151
„ „ three new European Ephemeridse ... ... ... ... 128
„ „ two new species of Trichopterys, and record of the capture
of T. volans in Britain ... ... ... ... ... 64
„ „ „ species of C^nis (Ephemeridae) from Lake Nyassa ... 2G8
Destructive insects in the Island of Ascension .. ... ,.. ... 79
Developed membrane in British Pyrrhocoris ... ... ... ... ... 135
Dimorphism and Alternation of generations in the CynipidsB ... ... 12
Distinctive characters of Penthina postremana. On the ... ... ... 39
Doubleday collection. The 166,189
Dyschirius angustatus in Yorkshire ... ... ... ... ... ... 203
Dytiscus latissimus found in North America ? Is ... ... ... ... 252
Ebulea verbascalis. Natural History of .. ... ... ... ... ... 102
Economy of Lithocolletis scopariella ... ... ... ... ... ... 239
„ „ the larva of Ephippiphora nigricostana ... ... ... ... 15
PAGE
Elachista Kilraunella, and some closely allied species, On 171
„ monticolella .. ... ... ... ... ... ■•• ••• 209
„ perplexella, double-brooded ... ... ... ... ... ... 259
„ stabilella bred ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ••• 16
„ „ , Food-plant of ... ... ... ... ... ... 69
Ennomos alniaria at Alverstoke . . . ... ... ... ... ... ... 108
Encecyla pusilla, On the habitat of ... ... ... ... ... ... 201
Enquiries about plant-lice, More ... ... ... ... ... ... 13-1
Entomological Society of London, Proceedings of the
20, 46, 96, 138, 1G8, 211, 261
EphemeridBB, Descriptions of three new European ... ... ... ... 128
Ephippiphora nigricostana. Economy of the larva of ... ... ... ... 15
Erycinidee, Descriptions of new species of ... ... ... ... ... 101
Eubolia bipunctaria. Description of the larva of ... ... ... ... 37
Eudromus, A new, and three new species of Lopturids from Madagascar .. 250
„ Family Carabidfe, On ... ... ... ... ... ... 183
Eupoecilia maculosana, and its habits, Description of the larva of .. ... 119
„ ) Mussehliana near Pembroke, Capture of Argyrolepia (or ... 39
Fancy prices for British insects .. . ... .... ... ... ... ... 87
Food and habits of Velleius dilatatus ... ... ... ... ... ... 260
„ of Tinea ferruginella ... ... ... ... ... ... ... HO
„ -plant of Elachista stabilella ... ... ... ... ... ... 69
Fossil Entomology, Introductory Papers on 1,52,124,169,226,215
Further contributions to the knowledge of the Cetoniidfe of Madagascar ... 84
Gelechia gerronella, Habits of ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 89
„ nanella. Note on ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 207
Genus Vespa at Worcester, The... ... 190
Geodephaga from the Hawaiian Islands, Characters of new genera and de- scriptions of new species of ... .. ... ... ... ...119,156
Geodephagous beetle of the family Scaritidre, Description of a new ... 186 „ Coleoptera from New Zealand, New species of ... ... 22, 57
Ghiliani, Death of Victor 167
Gracilaria phasianipennella ... ... ... ... ... ... ... HO
Habit of Chryeocorys festaliella. Singular ... ... ... ... ... 69
Habitat of Encecyla pusilla, On the ... ... 201
Habits of Apion Hookeri and Thyamis dorsalis. On the 20-1
„ „ Biston hirtaria .. ... ... ... ... .. ... 11
„ „ Gelechia gerronella ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 89
„ „ the larvce of Tipula oleracea . . ... Ill
„ „ YeUeius dilatatus. The food and ... ... ... ... ... 260
Halictus puncticoUis, Note on ... ... ... ... ... ... 236
Harpalus (Scybalicus) oblongiusculus, Dej., Occurrence in Britain of ... 203
„ quadripunctatus in Ireland ... ... ... ... ... ... 88
„ tenebrosus at Bridlington ... ... ... ... ... ... 131
Helicopsyche bred in Europe [England is a misprint] ...239, 257
Heliocopris, Description of a new species of ... ... ... ... ... 153
Heliothis peltigera at Hereford 179
„ near Tcnburv ... ... ... ... ... ... IGl;
PAGE
Ileliotliis scutusa in County Donegal, Ireland ... .. ... ... ... 137
Heiniplera, British — Additional species ... ... ... ... ... 201
" „ Grjmnocerata Europae, by 0. M. Reuter:" Review ... ... 19
" „ -Heteroptera Neerlandica, by S. C. Snellen v. VoUenhoveu : "
Review 192
Hemiptera-Heteroptera, Notes on Afi-ican ... ... ... ... ... 10,99
„ „ , Remarks on some British ... ... ... ... 66
„ -Homoptera, On certain British ... ... ... ... ... 231
„ , Morayshire ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 255
„ near Norwich ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 136
„ , Notes on some species of British ... ... ... ... ... 2C3
„ of New Zealand, List of the 31, 73, 130, 159, 213
„ , Synonymic Notes on some British ... ... ... ... 235
Hetaerina from Costa Rica, Description of a new species of ... ... ... 244
Heterocerous Lepidoptera collected in the Hawaiian Islands by the Rev. T.
Blackburn 269
Hewitson, Death of William Chapman, F.L.S. ... ... ... ... 44
Homalota egregia, Rye, Note on . . . ... ... ... ... ... .. 279
Homopterous insect belonging to the fomily Cicadidse, Description of a new 76
Horn-devouring Tinea, On a new ... ... ... ... ... ... 133
Hydrophilidse, Von Harold's Remarks on Japanese ... ... ... ... 278
Hymenoptera, Descriptions of new species of British Aculeate ... ... 199
Incurvaria canariella bred ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 72
Insects at Zanzibar ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 280
Introductory Papers on Fossil Entomology 1, 52, 124, 169, 226, 245
Larva, &c., of Myelois pinguis. Description of the ... ... ... ... 162
,, of Abraxas grossulariata, Variety of the ... ... ... ...187,205
,, ,, Acidalia imitaria, Description of the ... ... ... ...108, 138
„ ,, Cidaria reticulata, „ „ ... ... ... ... 61
„ „ Crambus contaminellus „ „ ... ... ... ... 88
„ „ Ephippiphora nigricostana, Economy of the ... ... ... 15
,, ,, Eubolia bipunctaria, Descriptiou of the ... ... ... ... 37
„ „ Eupoecilia maculosana and its habits. Description of the... ... 149
„ „ Miana furuncula. Description of the ... ... ... ... 91,108
„ „ Myelois cribrum, „ „ ... ... ... ... 258
„ „ Pyrameis Huntera, „ „ ... ... ... ... 16
„ ,, Selidosema plumaria, „ „ ... ... ... ... 137
,, „ Tinea orientalis, „ „ ... ... ... ... 187
Larvaj of Lytfa vesicatoria, On the ... ... ... ... ... ... 116
„ „ some Phycidse (Knot-homs), Notes on the... ... ... ... 180
„ „ Tipula oleracea, Habits of the ... ... ... ... ... Ill
Leaf-galls on Parinarium curatellifolium, Notes on ... ... ... ... 97
Lepidoptera at Bishop's Wood, near Selby, Captures of ... ... ... 71
„ „ Wicken .. 110
„ collected at the Hawaiian Islands by the Rev. T. Blackburn, On
Heterocerous ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 269
„ of Yorkshire ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 205
Lepturiclfie from Madagascar, A new Eudromus and three new species of Leucania extraiiea and vitellina at Torquay ... ,, ,, at Walmer ...
„ vitellina at Torquay ... List of the Hemiptera of New Zealand ... ... ... 31, 73, 130
Lithocolletis scopariella, Economy of ...
Lithosiidee," Mr. Moore's " Revision of the
Living Beetle Ornaments
Luminous insects, especially Diptera ...
Lyctena Medon, Huf. ? (Agestis, Ochs.), Natural History of
Lytta vesicatoria, On the larvse of
Miana furuncula, Description of the larva of ...
Microgaster, Pieris I'apse attacked by ...
Micro-Lepidoptera in Australia ...
Microphone in Entomological research, The ...
Migrations of plant-lice ...
Moore's " Revision of the Lithosiidse," Mr.
Morayshire Hemiptera ...
More enquiries about plant-lice ...
Moth trap from Brazil, Vegetable
Myclois cribrum, Description of the larva of ...
„ pinguis, „ „ „ &c., of
Natural Histoi-y of Crambus geniculeus „ „ „ Ebidea verbascalia . . .
" „ „ „ Hastings and St. Leonard's and the Vicinity
„ „ „ Lycsena Medon, Huf. .'' (Agestis, Ochs.)...
„ „ „ Psylla succincta
„ „ „ Xylomyges conspicillaris ...
Nepticula new to Britain, A Neuroptera from France ... New British species of PhycidsB
„ Coleoptera from New Zealand
„ species of Geodephagous Coleoptera from New Zealand Nonagria sparganii, Esper, Occurrence in Britain of "Notes of Observations on Injurious Insects," by E. Notes on African Hemiptera-Heteroptera
„ „ British Tortrices
„ „ Butterflies obsei'ved in the Valais in 1878
„ „ Cynipidaj and Aphides
„ „ larvse of some Phycidse (Knot-horns)
„ ,, leaf-galls on Parinarium curatellifolium
„ ,, some species of British Hemiptera ...
,, ,, the British species of the genus Odynerus
„ „ „ Butterflies of Port Baklar, Turkey
„ „ ,, Coleoptera of Chobham
„ „ Tineina bred in 1877 and 1878
„ regarding some rare Papiliones ... Nymphalidae, On the pupation of the
A. Ormerod
Review
162
206
102
72
241
68
17
239
112
187
47,81
22,57
236
263
10,99
141, 247
275
42
180
97
253
249
193
203
89
5,28
59, 78, 105, 136, 220, 257
Review
PAGE
250 137 107
136, 137
159, 213
239
109
116
43
241
116
91, 108
106
70
93
166, 190 109 255 134
116,138 258
Oak-gall, On an undetermined ...
Observations respecting Phalscna Stratonice of Cramer
Occurrence in Britain of Harpalus (Scybalicus) oblongiusculus, Dej.
„ „ „ „ Nonagria sparganii, Esper ...
„ of Swammerdamia nanivora in Russia
„ „ Tliereva fuscipennis, an addition to the British list of Diptera
„ „ Tinea fenestratella in Britain
Odynerus basalis, Capture of
„ , Notes on the British species of the
QScophoridse, On the Australian
Ornaments, Living Beetle
Orthotyli with green cell-nerves
Pachnobia hyperborea (alpina) ...
Papers on Fossil Entomology, Introductory
Papiliones, Notes regarding some rare ...
Parinarium curatellifolium. Notes on leaf-galls on
Parthenogenesis in the Tenthredinidre, &c.
Penthina postremana bred ; a species new to Britain...
„ „ , On the distinctive characters of
Phalsena Stratonice of Cramer, Observations respecting
Phryganea obsoleta in Ireland ...
Phycidse, New British species of
„ (Knot-horns), Notes on the larvae of some ...
Phylloxera in Scotland ...
Pieris rapse attacked by Microgaster
Plsesiorrhina (Cetoniidse) , Description of a new species of, and a note on an apparently new species of Ceratorrhina, both from West Afi-ica
Plant-lice, Migrations of ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...166,190
,, „ More enquiries about ... ... ... ... ... ... 134
Potamanthus luteus at Weybridge ... ... ... ... ... ... 92
Power of resisting intense cold possessed by Cheimatobia brumata, On the 205, 237
Preservation of Aphides and other soft-bodied insects for collections. On the
161, 191, 204
Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London
Psylla rhamnicola bred ; description of the nymph „ succincta. The Natural History of
Psyllidse, Description of two new European species of „ The Scandinavian
Pupation of the Nymphalidte, On the ...
Pyrameis Huntera, Description of the larva of
Pyrrhocoris, Developed membrane in British ...
Pyrus torminalis as a food-plant for insects
Record of a butterfly new to the fauna of Japan
Remarks on some British Hemiptera-Heteroptera
" Revision of the Lithosiidfe," Mr. Moore's
Rhophites quinque-spinosus and Acronycta alni near
Scandinavian Psyllidae
Selidosema plumaria. Description of the larva of
vu.
PAGE
197 36 203 236 208 19
238
257
249
259
116
34
107
1, 52, 124, 169, 226, 245
5,28
97
12
14
39
36
19
187
180
69
106
198
20, 46, 96, 138, 168, 211, 261
67
68
265
41
59, 78, 105, 136, 220, 257
16
135
190
257
66
109
Hastings ... ... II3
41
137
PAGE
Semasia galHcolana, Capture of ... ... ... 238
Siderodactylus, injurious to grape vines in the Island of Ascension, Descrip- tion of a new species of ... ... ... ... ... .. ... 185
Singular liabit of Clirysocorys festaliella ... ... ... ... ... 69
Smith, Death of Frederick 240,263
Soft-bodied insects for collections, On the preservation of Aphides and other 164
Spercheus emarginatus in Essex ... ... ... ... ... ... 88
Still, Death of Professor Carl 72,94
„ The works of the late Professor ... ... ... ... ... ... 191
Stinging Lepidopterous larvae ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 16
Strange locality for Anobiura paniceum ... ... ... ... ... 36
Stridulation in insects and the Microphone — a suggestion ... ... ... 43
„ of some Hemiptera, ITymenoptera, and Coleoptera, On the ... 117
Swammerdamia nanivora in Russia, Occurrence of ... ... ... ... 208
„ , On a new, hitherto confounded with Cfesiella ... ... 207
„ , Synonym ical notes on the species of ... ..., ... ... 229
Synonymic Notes on some British Hemiptera... ... ... ... ... 235
„ ,, ,, the species of Swammerdamia ... ... ... ... 229
Synonymy of Cicada mon tana, Scop., Note on the ... ... ... 209
" Synopsis des Heniipteres-Heteropteres de France," by Dr. Puton : Review 94
Tenthredinidse, &c., On Parthenogenesis in the ... ... ... ... 12
" The Fauna of Scotland, with especial reference to Clydesdale and the
Western District — Hymenoptera," Part 1, by P. Cameron : Review ... 93
Thecla quercus near Bedford, Acherontia Atropos and .. ... .. 107
Thereva fuscipennis. Occurrence of, an addition to the British list of Diptera 19
Thyamis dorsalis, On the habits of Apion Ilookeri and ... ... ... 204
Tinea fenestratella in Britain, Occurrence of ... ... ... ... ... 238
„ ferruginella. Food of ... ... ... .. ... ... ... 110
„ , On a new horn-devouring ... ... ... ... ... ... 133
„ orientalis. Description of the larva of ... . . ... ... ... 187
Tineina bred in 1877 and 1878, Notes on 89
„ observed at the Scilly Isles ... ... ... .. ... ... 88
„ taken and bred in 1878 ... 237
Tipula oleracea. Habits of the larvfB of .. ... ... ... ... ... HI
Tortrices, Notes on British .. ... ... ... ... ... ...141,247
Triclioptera, Descriptions of new species of, from Scandinavia ... ... 274
Trichopteryx, Descriptions of two new species of, and record of the capture
of T. volans in Britain ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 64
Trioza galii. Note on ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... 92
Undetermined oak-gall. On an ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 197
Valais in 1878, Notes on butterflies observed in the ... ... ... ... 275
Variety of the larva of Abraxas grossulariata ... ... .. ... .. 187 205
Vegetable moth-trap from Brazil ... ... ... ... ... ..116,138
Velleius dilatatus, The food and habits of ... ... ... ... ... 260
Vespa at Worcester, The genus ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 190
White, Death of Adam .. 2II
Wonfor, Death of Thomas W. ... ... ... ... ... ... 107
Works of the late Professor Stal, The ... 191
Xylomyges conspicillaris, Natural History of ... ... ... ... ... 17
Zanzibar, Insects at <.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 280
INDEX OF SUBJECTS NOTICED IN THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.
Acacia liorrida, Insects frequenting
Acentropus
Achenium humile from Horsham
Algeria, Insects from
Amara infima from Chobham . . .
Amazons, Lepidoptera of the
Amur Land, Lepidoptera from
Anaphe, Cocoons of a species of ...
„ Parasites upon Anisoplia austriaca destructive in South Russia Anniversary Meeting
Anthocharis cardamines $ with partially the colour of the <? ... Argynnis Paphia, var. Yalezina Ascalaphus longicornis, Eggs and larvas of ... Aterica meleagris, Protective variation in Australia and New Zealand, Coleoptera from Beetle-ornament, Living Blastophaga Phenes Blattidae, Yiviparous
Bombycidse, Method of escaping from the cocoon in ... Brazilian caddis-flies
„ Entomology, Notes on ... Buffalo-horn, Tinea orientalis bred from Butterfly, Fossil, from the Tertiaries of Colorado Caddis-flies, Brazilian
Calandridce, Species of, destructive to orchids Caprification Carpocapsa saltitans
Cassia neglecta, Spermophagus bred from seeds of Caterpillars and flowers .. Ceratorrhina Batesi ... ...
Chauliognathus excellens Cleridae, New species, &c., of ... Coleoptera from Australia and New Zealand „ „ Jamaica
„ Longicorn, from the Hawaiian Islands
Coleopterous larva making ventilated borings Cordulia Curtisi ... ... ... ... ...
Cryphalus abietis from Horsham Cryptus formosus parasitic on Anaphe Edible Insects
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212 |
,261 |
|
168 |
|
|
139 |
|
|
... |
46 |
|
262 |
|
|
140 |
|
|
168 |
|
|
21 |
|
|
96 |
|
|
139 |
|
|
46 |
|
|
... |
21 |
|
168 |
|
|
... |
168 |
|
138 |
|
|
212 |
PAGE
Elachista cerusella, Food-plant of .. ... ... ... ... 96
Epincpliile Jurthia and Tithonus, Varieties of ... ... ... ... 211
Erebus odora, Scent-tufts on legs of ... ... ... .-■ 1(>8
Eumolpidse, South American ... ... ... ... ... ... 139
Gasteracantha Cambridgei ... ... ... ... .. 2G1
Grlyphipteryx schoenicolella ... ... ... ... ... ... 211
Gongylus, Species of ... ... ... ... ... 168
Habenaria bifolia, Pollen-masses of, attached to haustella of moths... ... 96
Halictus, Species of, from Greece ... ... ... ... ... 2G2
Harpalus oblongiusculus ... ... ... ... ... ... 2G1
Hawaiian Islands, Longicorn Coleoptera from the ... ... ... 46
„ „ IVitidulidae from the... ... ... ... ... 21
Hedychium, Sphinx caught by flowers of .., ... ... ... 46
Heliothis scutosa from Ireland ... ... ... ... ... 140
Hemiptera-Homoptera, New species of ... ... ... ... 21,168
Hipparchia Ilyperanthus, Yariety of ... ... ... ... ... 96
„ Semele, Protective variation in ... ... ... 138,139,140
Honey-Bec, Several swarms issuing from hive of .. ... ... ... 96
HymenojDtera, Notes on species of British ... ... ... ... 262
Idolomorpha, &c., Anteunse of ... ... ... ... ... 139
Jamaica, Coleoptera fi'om ... ... ... ... .. 139
Kallima, Species of ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 261
KunguCake ... ... ,.. .. ... ... ... 212
Lathrobium pallidum from Horsliam ... ... ... ... ... 168
Lepidoptera and Trichoptera, Homology in the nenration of ... ... 211, 261
„ from Amur Land ... ... ... ... ... 261
„ „ Cahar... ... ... ... ... ... 212
„ of the Amazons ... ... ... ... ... ... 261
„ , Varieties of British ... ... ... ... ... 138
Linnean Collection, The ... ... ... ... ... 139,140,168
Liihdorfia Putziloi ... ... ... ... .. ... 261
Macropsebium Cotterilii, &c., from Lake Nyassa ... ... ... 46
Mantidffi, Stridulation in .. ... ... ..> ... ... 261, 262
Merodon, ?, destructive to Sternbergia ... ... ... ... ... 262
Mimicry in Thomisus citreus ... ... ... ... ... 96
„ of Acrsea by Eueides pavonia .. ... ... ... ... 261
Music of Insects ... ... ... ... ... ... 139
Myriopoda, New species of ... ... ... ... ... ... 139
Myrmica barbata, Variation in ... ... ... ... ... 20
New Zealand and Australia, Coleoptera from ... ... ... ... 96
Nitidulidse from the Hawaiian Islands ... ... ., ... 21
Nyassa, Coleoptera from ... ... ... ... ... ... 46
Orthoptera from Zanzibar resembling dead leaves ... ... ... 46
„ Stridulation in ... ... ... ... ... ... 140
Oxyptilus Iffitus from Deal ... ... ... ... ... 21
Pachnobia hyperborea bred ... ... ... ... ... ... 138
Palophus centaurus, Nocturnal habits of ... ... ., ... 139
Panesthia javanica, Viviparous
Papilio Boisduvalianus, Yariety of...
Perrbybris Pjrrba, Partial gynandromorpbisni in
Pbjcidre, Case-bearing species of, from South Africa .
Platypus cylindrus from Horsham
Pollen-masses attached to haustella of moths
Potatoes, Larra injurious to ...
Prodryas Persephone, a fossil butterfly from Colorado
Protective resemblances in Tenthredinidse
Psila rosoe. Means to prevent the ravages of...
Rhomaleosoma Ruspiua, Yariety of
Kicania australis from New Zealand
Eutelidse, Stridulation in
Saturnia Artemis
Secondary sexual characters of Insects ...
Smith, Death of Frederick
South African Insects, Economy of
Spercheus emarginatus from West Ham
Spermophagus bred from seeds of Cassia ncglecta
Sphinx caught by flowers of Hedychium
Sternbergia damaged by Merodon, ?
Stridulation in Mantidse . . .
„ „ Orthoptera
„ „ RutelidsB ...
Sycophaga crassipes .
Telephoridse from Central and South America Tenthredinidse, Protective resemblances in Teretrius picipes from Norwood Thestor mauritauica... Thomisus citreus. Mimicry in Tinea orientalis
Trichoptera and Lepidoptera, Homology in the neuration Yiviparous Blattidse .. West Indies, Insects from the Zopherus used as a " living beetle ornament"
|
• •• ■• |
PARE ... 140 |
|
46 |
|
|
... 211 |
|
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21 |
|
|
... |
... 168 |
|
96 |
|
|
... |
... 96 |
|
139 |
|
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... 46 |
|
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168 |
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... 140 |
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|
96 |
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... 211 |
|
|
261 |
|
|
... |
21 |
|
262 |
|
|
... |
... 21 |
|
139 |
|
|
... 46 |
|
|
46 |
|
|
... 262 |
|
|
... 261,262 |
|
|
... 140 |
|
|
211 |
|
|
... 168 |
|
|
168 |
|
|
... 46 |
|
|
138 |
|
|
... 20 |
|
|
96 |
|
|
... 168 |
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I of ... |
... 211,261 |
|
... 140 |
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20 |
|
|
... 168 |
SPECIAL
COLEOPTERA.
PAGE
Amara infima at Chobham 203
patricia „ 203
Ancbomenus erro (sp. n.), T. Blackburn... 121 insociabilis(sp.n.), ,, ... 121
otagoensLs „ H.W.Bates 27 rupicola(sp.n.), T.Blackburn 122 Sharpi „ „ 122
Aiiobium paniceum in orris-root, &c 36
Aiithribola (g. n.), H. W. Bates 251
decoratus (sp.n.), „ 251
Apbodius melanostictus in England 280
Apioii Hookeri, Habits of 204
Scbcjenherri in Sheppy 162
Atracbycuemis (g. n.), T. Blackburn 120
Sharpi (sp. n.), „ 120
Bagous diglyptus at Burton-on-Trent ... 235
Bembidiuni clialceipes (sp. n.), H. W. Bates 24
bokitikense „ „ 25
nigriconie at Cbobbam 203
orbiferuui (sp. n.), H. W. Bates 24
pacificum „ T.Blackburn 157
Blackburnia blaptoides „ „ 157
frigida „ „ 157
Bracbypoplus brevicornis (sp. n.),Sbarp .. 47
Bvounia (g. n.), Sharp 49
thoracica (sp. u.), Sharp 49
Camiarus (g. n.), Sharp, vice Camirus ... 36 Ceratorrhina gemina (sp. n.), G. Lewis ... 234
Cercyon dux, Sharp 279
Cbcerodes concolor (sp. n.), Sharp 81
Cicindela austromoutana „ H. W. Bates 22
Cilibe Huttoui „ Sharp 51
Clivina fossor, rayrraecophilous 19
Coptomia apicalis (sp. n.), C. 0. Waterhouse 86 uigriceps „ „ 85
propinqua „ „ 86
qnadrimaculata „ „ 86
Cryptodacne synthetica „ Sharp 82
Cucujus imperialis „ G. Lewis ... 234
Cyclonotum breve 279
orbiculare 279
Cyclothovax angusticollis ,, T.Blackburn 156 brevis „ „ 123
cordaticoUis „ „ 156
ina?qualis „ „ 157
micans „ „ 122
montivagus ,, „ 122
multipunctatus „ „ 122
nubicola „ „ 156
oahuen.<iis ,, „ 123
obbcuricolor „ „ 123
INDEX.
PAGE
Cyclothorax scavitoides(sp.n.),T.Blackburn 156 simiolus „ „ 123
Demetrida mresta „ Sharp 47
Disenochus (g. n.), T. Blackburn 121
anoraalus (sp. n.), T. Blackburn 121
Dyschirius angustatus in Yorkshire 203
Dytiscus latissimus, ? N. American 252
Epistranus (g. n.), Sharp, vice Epistrophus 36
Epuraea zealandica (sp. n.), Sharp 48
Eudronius emarginatus 185
IsBvicollis 184
lucidipennis (sp.n. ),H.W. Bates 251
striatocollis 184
trisulcatus (sp. n.), H. W. Bates 184
Harpal us discuideus at Chobham 203
oblongiusculus at C'hesil Bank . . . 203
quadripunctatus in L'eland 88
tenebrosus at Bridlington 134
Hcliocopris Mouhotus (sp. n.), Sharp 155
Homalota egregia, Rye, Synonymy of ... 279 Hypharpax abstrusus (sp. n.), H. W. Bates 23
Labetis (g. n.), C. 0. Waterhouse 267
tibialis (sp. n.), „ 267
Lacon murinus, Stridulation of 118
Lecanomerus obesulus (sp. n.), H. W. Bates 23 Liostraca bella (sp. n.). C. 0. Waterhouse 84
Lytta vesicatoria, Larvse of, bred 116
Mastododera coccinea (sp. n.), H. W. Bates 252 difforniipes „ „ 252
Megasternum distinctum 278
Melanactes, Luminous larya of a 44
Mouhotia Batesi (sp. n.), G. Lewis 186
Neocnecus (g. n.), Sh., vice Neocnemis, Sli. 88
Pericoptus stupidus (sp. n.), Sharp 50
Physolii;sthus insularis „ H. W. Bates 22
Pla'siorrhina Watkinsiana (sp.n.), G.Lewis 198
Pterostiehusaucklandicus „ H.W.Bates 25
integratus „ „ 27
puella 27
Sylvius (sp. n.), H. W. Bates 26
temukensis „ „ 26
Pygora Cowani (sp. n.), C. 0. Waterhouse 85
piilchripes „ „ 85
Rhipistena lugubris (sp. n.). Sharp 81
Scopodes liEvigatus „ H. W. Bates 58
multipunctatus „ „ 58
prasinus „ „ 57
versicolor „ „ 57
Siderodactylus ornatus „ Pascoe 185
Somatidia longipes „ Sharp 82
Sorouia optata „ „ 48
Spevchens emarginatus in Essex 88
Stenotarsia discoidalis (sp. n.),
C. 0. Waterhouse 84
Stemis Kiesenwetteri at Cbobham 204
Tachys arcanicola (sp. u.), T. Blackburn 158
atomus „ » 1"8
mucescens „ „ 158
oabuensis „ „ 158
Thyamis doisalis, Habits of 204
Tiicboptei-yx Cbanipionis(sp.u.),Mattbews 64
fratercula „ „ 65
volans taken in Scotland 64
Velleius dilatatus, Food and babits of ... 260
DIPTERA.
Thereva fuscipennis 19
Tipula oleracea, Habits of Ill
HEMIPTERA-HETEROPTERA.
Acalypta, name revived 236
Aneunis Brouni 76
Anisops assimilis (sp. n.), F. B. White ... 161
Wakefieldi „ „ ... 161
Aradus australis, Er. ? 75
Aroratiis ruficoUis 32
As^pongopus atfiuis (sp. n.), Distant 11
divergeus „ „ 11
Farley i „ „ 100
intermedins,, „ ...... 99
modestus „ „ 11
nigro-violaceus 10
Beosus, The genus 236
Caniptobrochis lutescens 67
punctulatus 67
Capsus capillaris 67
Cardiastethus Brounianus (sp. n.),
F. B. White 159
Chilacis typba^ near Norwich 136
Corixa arguta (sp. n.)., F. B. White 161
Crimia attenuata 76
Cyllocoris, Characters of the genus 115
flavonotatus 113
flavoquadrimaculatus 115
Globiceps, Characters of the genus 115
flavoniaculatus 66
flavonotatus 113
fulvipes 66
Harpactor iracundus, Stridulation of 117
Heterogaster, The genus 236
Kleidocerus, „ 235
i-esedae 235
Lygaeus pacificus 32
xui.
PAGK
Macrocoleus hortulanus 66
sordidus 66
Margaretta (g. n.), F. B. White 74
dominica (sp. n.), F. B. White 75
Megalocera;aReuteriana „ „ 130
Metagerra (g. n.), „ 34
obscura (sp. n.), „ 34
Morna (g. n.), „ 130
capsoides (sp. n.), „ 131
Scotti „ „ 131
Nabis Saundersi „ „ 159
Neides Wakefieldi „ „ 31
Neocoris Scotti 67
Neuroctenus Hochstetteri 76
Nysius anceps (sp. n.), F. B. White 33
brunneus 235
Huttoni (sp. n.), F. B. White 32
maculatus 235
zealandicus 32
Oncocephalus notatus, Stridulation of ... 117
Oncotylus punctipes 66
tanaceti 67
Pachy merus, name revived 235
Pamera nigriceps • 33
Peritrechus geniculatus 201
gracilicornis 201
nubilus 202, 253
Pilophorus perplexus 253
Platymeris confusa (sp. n.). Distant 100
Plociomerus Douglasi 33
Psallus alni 67
distinctus 67
sanguineus 67
Pyrrhocoris apterus, Developed membrane
in a British example of 135
Reduvius personatus, Stridulation of 118
Reuda(g.n.), F.B.White 132
Ma3'ri(sp. u.), „ 132
SaldaButleri „ „ 160
Maps „ „ 160
Scolopostethus decoratus 236
Putoni (sp. n.), F. B. White 75
Stygnus, The genus 235
... 73
... 74
... 73
Targareraa (g. n.), F. B. White, electa (sp.u.), „ Stall
HEMIPTERA-HOMOPTERA. Agandecca (g. n.), F. B. White.
anuecteus (sp. n.),
Aka (g. n.),
217 218 216
XIV.
PAGE
Aplialara exilis 255
Jakovvleffi (sp. n.), Scott 266
polj'goni 255
Apliides, Generation of 43, 134
Migration of 166,190
Preservation of 161, 191, 204
Aplirophora jactator (sp. n.), F. B. White 214
Athysanus negatus ;. „ 215
Cicada montana, Sj'nonymy of 209
Coua(g. u.), F.B.White 218
cajlata (sp. n.), „ 218
Dicrauoneura aureola 202
variata 253
Dorydium Westwoodi (sp.n.), F. B. White 215
Eupelex cuspidata 232
prodiicta 233
spathulata 233
Eupteryx melissae 254
stachydearum 254
Idiocerus Heydeni near Norwich 136
Melampsalta Mangu (sp. n.), F. B. White 214
Philaenus siibvirescens 215
Phylloxera in Scotland 69
Psylla rhamnicola, nymph '. 67
succiucta 68
visci in Norfolk 136
Psyllida3, Scandinavian 41
Rhinocola aceris 255
Semo (g. n.), F. B. White 217
clypeatus (sp. n.), „ 217
Tosena spleudida (sp. u.), Distant 76
Trioza dichroa (sp. n.), Scott 265
galii 92, 255
Typhlocyba blandula 253
debilis, near London, &c 254
near Norwich 136
Douglasi, near Lewisham 254
near Norwich 136
gratiosa 254
nitidula 254
quercus 254
rosea 254
tiliae 254
HYMENOPTERA.
Ci'nipidae, Dimorphism and alternation of
generations iu 12, 42
Halictus breviceps (sp. n.), E. Saunders... 200 longiceps ,, „ ... 200
pauxillus 200
puucticolHs 200, 236
Miniesa equestris 199
PAGE
Mutilla hungarica, Stridulation of 118
Odynerus, British species of 249
basalis 257
Oxybelus mandibularis 199
Pcecilosoraa pulveratum, Parthenogenesis in 12
Pompilus consobrinus 199
Rhophites 5-spinosus at Hastings 113
LEPIDOPTERA.
Abisara Rogersi (sp. n.), Druce 101
Abraxas grossulariata 150, 187,205
Acherontia Atropos 41, 107
Acidalia imitaria, Larva of 108, 138
ochrata 88
Acronycta alni 107, 113
Aglossa cuprealis 110
Agrotis arenivolans (sp. n.), Butler 269
ravida Ill
segetum , 79
suffusa in Hawaiian isles 269
Anarsia genistas 89
Anesycliia funerella Ill
Anthocharis Belia 194,276
cardamines 60
Apamea fibrosa Ill
Apatura Iris 14
Argyunis Amathusia 277
Daphne 195
Dia 277
Ino 195,277
Lathonia 195,277
Pales 277
Pandora 195
Argyrolepia Mussehliana 39
Asychna profugella 90
Bactra uliginosana Ill
Biston hirtaria 14
Boty s accepta 270
continuatalis 270
demaratalis 271
localis (sp. n.), Butler 271
Butalis grandipennis 89
Cheimatobia brumata 205, 237
Chionobas Aello 277
Chrysocorys festaliella 69
Chrysophanus Gordius 196
Thersamon 196
Cidaria reticulata, Larva of , 61
sagittata Ill
Cleodoi'a cytisella 89
Coccyx distiuctana 109
Hyrciniana 109
Ochsenheimeriana 146
PAGE
Coch3-lis alternana, Larva of 145
giganfana, „ 14-5
straminea, „ 145
Coenonympba Satj'rion 270
Coleophora Wilkinsoni 90
Colias Edusa 14
Phicomone 276
Cosmopliila xanthindyma 80
Ci'ambus contaminullus, Larva of 38
geniculeus, „ 206
Cystidia Stratouice 37
Danais Arcliippus 220
Deilephila livornica 72
Depressaria atomella 188, 208
capreolella 90, 237
scopariella 188
Ebulea verbascalis, Larva of 102
Elachista alpiiiella 176
kilmunella 174
monticola 177, 209
perplexella 259
stabilella 16, 69
stagnalis 178
taeniatella 237
Euiiomos alniaria 108
Epliestia arteiiiisiella 182
cinerosella 182
oblitella 187
Ephippipbora uigricostaiia, Larva of 15
Erebia Ceto 277
Epipbron 277
glacialis 277
lappoua 277
Ligea 277
Stygne 277
Tyndanis 277
Eubolia bipunctavia, Larva of 37
Eupitbecia denotata 90
lariciata 71
Eupoecilia affinitaua, Larva of 143
augustana, „ 142
atricapitana, „ 141
curvistrigaua, „ 143
hybridana, „ 141
implicitana, „ 143
maculosana, „ 149
Mussebliana 39
roseana 144
Eurema Cbarou (sp. n.), Hewitson 151
Eurygona Alcmeiia „ Druce 101
Julia „ „ 101
Pbelina „ „ 101
PAGE
Euzophera oblitella 187
Gelccbia gerronella 89
immaculatella 89
instabilella 89
jmictella 237
nanella 207
ocellatella 88, 89
viscariella 89
Glypbipteryx scboenicolella 237
Gracilaria pbasianipennella 110, 237
populetorum 90, 237
Gi'apta com ma 222
Egea 195
interrogationis 220
Heliotbis peltigera 164, 179
scutosa 137
Hermiuia cribralis Ill
Hipparcbia Briseis 195
Hermione 195
Proserpina 195
statilinus 195
Holocbila Blackburni (sp. ii.), Tuely 9
Homoeosoma bimevolla. Larva of 181
siiiuella „ 180
Ilydrelia iinca m
Hydrilla palustris Ill
Incurvai-ia canariella bred 72
Itbomia Lerida 153
Larentia iusularis (sp. n.), Butler 272
Lasiommata Roxelana 195
Leucania albipuncta 107
extranea 107,137
Loreyi 80
photophila (sp. n.), Butler 209
pudoriiia Ill
uiiipuncta 107
vitelliua 136, 137
Limenitis populi 276
Lithocolletis scopariella. Larva of 239
torminella 190
Leucocbitoiiea Eariua (sp. n.), Hewitson... 152 Elelca „ „ ... 152
Falisca „ „ ... 153
Latbiea ., „ ... 151
Lyrctea „ „ ... 151
Lycffina Acis 276
JEgQQ 276
Agestis, Larva of 241
Alcon 276
Argus 276
Ariou 276
Artaxerxes 241
Bellargus 276
XVI.
PAGE
LycaBiia bantica 79
Daimon 270
Escheri 276
Eumedon 276
Hj'las 276
Medon, Larva of 241
Salmacis 241
Macroj^aster ai'undinis Ill
Mecyiia exiguu (sp. n.), Butler 271
Melanagria Larissa 195
Meliana flainmoa Ill
Melitiea Cynthia 277
Dictymia 277
didyraa 194, 277
Phcebe 194, 277
trivia 195
Mesosemia Sylvia (sp. n.), Druce 101
Thyestes „ „ 101
Miana furuncula. Larva of 91, 108
Myelois cribrum, „ 258
pinguis, „ 162
Nascia cilialis Ill
Nepticula seneofasciella 237
lapponica 239
Nisoniadcs Marloyi 196
Nonagria Hellmamii 110
sparganii 236
Notocelia Udmaiiniana ... 248
fficophora flaviniaculella 90
qriadripuiicta 89
Oligostigma curta (sp. ii.), Butler 270
Orgyia ca^nosa 110
Orthota?nia antiquaiia, Larva of 148
ericfctana 149
striaua, Larva of 147
Pacliiiobia alpiiia 87, 107
hyperborea 87, 107
Paliuon ti 11 a oolitica 65
Pamphila iiostradamus 196
Thauraas 196
Papilio Audraimou 31
Autimachus 5
Homerus 28
Podalirius 194
llidleyanus 7
Zalnioxis 7
Pararge Hiera 277
Miera 277
Paruassius Apollo 275
Delius 275
Mnemosyne 276
Penthina carbonana 40
fuligana 40
postremaua 14, 30
PAGE
Pcntliina ustulana 40
Pbalffina Stratonice 36
Pieris brassiere 60
Callidice 276
Daplidice 194
rapse 106
Plusia aurifei-a 80
U-aureum 80
Plutella annulatella 90
Polyommatus Admetus 196
Agestor 196
biEticus 196
balcanicus 196
Cyllarus 196
Hippothoe 276
Hylas 196
Telicanus 196
Tiresias 196
virgaureas 276
Prodenia retina 80
Pseudocoremia paludicola (sp. n.), Butler. 272
Pyraraeis Huntera, Larva of 16
Pyrgus lavaterse 196
marrubii 196
orbifer 196
pblomidis 196
sidse 196
RhodopliaBa advenella. Larva of 182
consociella, „ 182
Satyrus Hermione 277
Scardia lignivora (sp. n.), Butler 273
vastella 133
Scotosia rara (sp. n.), Butler 273
Sclidosema plumaria, Larva of 137
Semasia gallicolana 238
obscurana 238
rufillana 90
Siniyra venosa Ill
Spilonota arnasnana 248
iucarnatana 248
roborana, Larva of 247
rosspcolana, „ 247
guffusana, „ 248
triuiaculana. Larva of 248
Swammerdamia alpicella 230
alternans 230
apicella 231
aurotinitella 231
Cffisiella 207, 229
cerasiella 231
combinella 231
comptella 231
compunctella 230
conspersella 230
Swammerdamia griseocapitella 229, 231
Heroldella 229,231
lutarea 230
nanivoi-a 208, 230
nubeculella 229, 231
oxyacantbella 208,230
pyrella 231
spiuiella 208, 230
Sj'i'icthus cacaliae 278
carthami 278
Sao 278
Thais Cerisyi 194
Thecla ilicis 196
quercus 107
Tinea argentimaculella 88
fenestratella 238
ferruginella 110
gigautella 133
orientalis (sp. n.), Stainton »133
, Larva of 187
Tortrix dumetana Ill
Vanessa Antiopa 195
cardui 79
urticffi 59, 60
xvii.
PAGE
Vithora agrionides 37
Xylomyges conspicillaris, Larva of 17
NEUROPTERA.
Ametvopus (g. n.), Albarda 129
fragilis (sp. n.), Albarda 129
Csenis cibaria (sp. n.), A. E. Eaton 268
Kungu „ „ 268
Ceutroptilum tenellum (sp. n.), Albarda... 128
Chrysopa tenella 91
Cordulegaster Godmani (sp.n.), McLachlan 35
Cordulia Curtisi 92
Enoscyla pusilla 204
Hetaerina maxima (sp. n.), McLachlan .. 244
Helicopsyche bred in Europe 239, 257
Isonychia ferruginea (sp. n.), Albarda 128
Limnophilus hyalinatus „ Wallengren. 274 instillatus „ „ 274
rhanidophorus „ „ 274
scalenus „ „ 274
Phryganea obsoleta 19
Potamauthus luteus 92
Stenophylax Thedenii (sp. n.), Wallengren 275
INDEX TO CONTRIBUTOES.
Albarda, Herman 128
Bairstow, S. D 43, 71
Barrett, C. G 39, 141, 180, 247
Bates, H. W., F.L.S., &c 22, 57, 183, 250
Bignell, C. G 110
Birchall, E., F.L.S 107
Blackburn, J. B., B.A 107, 187
Blackburn, Rev. T., M.A 119, 156
Blatch, W. G 204
Bloomfield, Rev. E. N., M.A 113, 236
Buckler, W...17,38,61, 102, 108, 162, 206,241
Butler, A.G., F.L.S., &c 36,269
Cameron, Peter 12
Campbell, W. H 137
Champion, G. C 88, 203, 235
Chapman, T. A., M.D 78, 136, 179
Claxton, W 164
Cooke, Benjamin 19
Cowper, B. H 112
Crowther, H 19
Dale, C. W 257
Digby, Rev. C. R., M.A 138
Distant, W. L., Sec. Eut. Soc, &c . . . 10, 76, 99, 191
Douglas, J. W....41, 68, 92, 164, 201, 205, 207, 209, 235, 253
Druce, Herbert, F.L.S 101
Eaton, Rev. A. E., M.A 268
Edwards, James 136
Edwards, W, H 220
Ern4, J 260
Farn, A. B 189
Flemyng, W. W 41
Fletcher, J. E 106, 190,204
Forbes, W. A., F.L.S., &c 109,275
Fowler, W. W 134, 203
Greenwell-Lax, W 107
Goss, Herbert, F.L.S., &c...l, 52, 92, 108, 124, 167, 169, 226, 245
Heath, E.F 108
Hewitson, W.C, F.L.S., &c 151
Hodgkinson, J. B 14, 72, 110, 208, 209
Hutchinson, Mrs 237
Jones, A. H 137
Katter,Dr. F 204
Kirby, W. P 16
Knaggs, H. V 14
Lewis, George 186, 198, 234, 257
Lichtenstein, J 42, 116, 134, 166, 190, 191
McLachlan, R., F.R.S., &C....14, 35, 69, 79, 91, 92, 112, 205, 239, 257
Matthews, Rev. A., M.A 64
Meek, E. G 88
Meldola, R., Sec. Ent. Soc, &c 107
Meyrick, E 70, 259
xvm.
PAGE
Neale, H. 14, 107
Norman, George 255
Ormerod, E. A., F.M.S 97, 197
Osborne, J. A., M.D 59,105,257
Osten-Sacken, Baron C. E 43
Pascoe, P. P., P.L.S 185
Porritt, G. T., F.L.S. ... 37, 91, 110, 137, 187,
205, 258
Ragonot, E. L 229
Reuter, Dr. 0. M 34, 66, 113
Robson, J. E 205
Ruston, Harold 238
Rutherford, D. G., F.L.S., &c 5, 28
Rye, E. C, F.Z.S 36, 135, 279, 280
Sang, Jobn 259
Saunders, E., F.L.S 199,236,249
Saunders, Sir S. S., C.M.G 190
Scott, John 67, 231,265
Sharp, D., M.B..36, 47, 81, 88, 153, 252, 278, 280 Sidebotham, J 72
PACfE
Silcock, H 150
Simmons, C. W 187
Simpson, W 116
Slater, J. W 93
South, R 138
Stainton, H. T.. F.R.S., &c. ... 69, 88, 89, 133, 174, 187, 188, 207, 208, 238, 239
Standen, R. S 136
Svvinton, A. H 117
Thomson, J 280
Threlfall, J. H 89,237,239
Tuely, N. C, F.L.S 9,16
Vandenbergh, W. J., Jun 166
Walker, J. J., R.N 1G2, 193
Wallengren, Pastor H. D. J 274
Wdsingham, Lord, M.A., P.Z.S., &c 87
Warren, W 15, 16, 69
Waterhou.se, C. 0 84,267
White, F. Buchanan, M.D., F.L.S 31, 73,
130, 159, 213 Wood, J. H., M.B 108,149
LIST OF NEW GENERA AND SPECIES, &c., DESCEIBED IN THIS VOLUME.
COLEOPTERA. GEXERA.
Antheibola, H". 7T'. iJa^es 251
Ateachtcnemis, T.Blaclhtirn.. 120
Beounia, S/iarp 49
Camiaeus, „ 36
DiastiocsTjs, T. Blackburn 121
'Epistb.atsvs, Sharp 36
Labetis, C. O. WaterJiouse 267
Neocnecus, S/zarp 68
SPECIES.
Anchomenus erro, T. BlacAlurn, Ha- waiian Islands 121 insociabilis „ „ 122
otagonensis, S. W. Bates,
N. Zealand 27 rupicola, T. Blackhnrn,
Satvaiian Islands 122 Sharpi „ „ 122
Anthribola decoratus, S. W. Bates,
Madagascar 251 Atrachycnemis Sharpi, T. Blackhtirn,
Satvaiian Islands 120 Bembidium chalceipes, S. W. Bates,
N. Zealand 24 hokitikcnse „ „ 25
orbit'erum „ „ 24
pacificum, T. Blackburn,
Saivaiian Islands 157
Blackburnia blaptoides „ „ 157
frigida „ „ 157
Brachypeplnsbrevicornis, Skarp,N.Zealand 47
Brouuia thoracica „ „ 49
Ceratorrhiua gemiua, G.Leivis, W.JLfricr. 234 ChcErodes coucolor, Sharp, N. Zealand 81 Cicindela austromontana, If . TF. JJa^es „ 22 Cilibe Huttoni, /Si/ia?-jJ, „ 51
PAGE
Coptomia apicalis, C. O. WaterJiouse,
Madagascar 86
nigriceps „ „ 85
propinqua „ „ 86
quadrirnaculata „ 86
Cryptodacne synthetica, Sharp, N. Zealand 82
Cucujus imperialis, G-. Lewis, Assam 234
Cyclothoras angusticollis, T. Blackbnm,
Hawaiian Islands 156 brevis „ „ 123
cordaticollis „ „ 156
inasqualis „ „ 157
micans „ „ 122
montivagus „ „ 122
multipunctatus „ „ 122
nubicola „ „ 156
oahuensis „ „ 123
obscuricolor „ „ 123
scaritoides „ „ 156
simiolus „ „ 123
'Dcraet\-\Aa\-a(£&ia., Sharp, N. Zealand ... 47
Disenochus anomalus, T. Blackbvrn,
Ilaivaiian Islands 121 'R-pwrxA zeiAawdaca, Sharp, N. Zealand ... 48 Eudromus lucidipeunis, II. W. Bates,
Madagascar 251 trisulcatus „ „ 184
Heliocopris ilouhotus, Sharp,
Cochin China 155 Hypharpax abstrusus, S. W. Bates,
X. Zealand 23 Labetis tibialis, C. O. Waterhouse,
Hawaiian Islands 267 Lecanomerns obssulus, S. J!'. Bates,
W. Zealand 23 Liostraca bella, C. O. Waterhouse,
Madagascar 84
PAGE
Mastododera coccinea, S. W. 'Bates,
Madagascar 252 difformipes „ „ 252
Mouliotia Batesi, G. Lewis, Burma 186
Pericoptus stupidus, Sharp, JV. Zealand 50 PLj'solffistlius insularis, M. W. Bates,
N. Zealand 22 Plsesiorrliina Watkinsiaua, G. Lewis,
W. Africa 198 Pterostichus aucklandicus, S. W. Bates, N. Zealand integvatus „ „
Sylvius „ „
teiiiukensis „ „
Pygora Cowani, C. O. WaterJiouse,
Madagascar pulcliripes „ „
Rhj-pistena lugubris. Sharp, N. Zealand Scopodes Iffivigatus S. If. Bates, „ multipunctatus „ „
prasinus „ „
versicolor „ ,,
Siderodactylus oruatus, Pascoe, I. of As- cension 185 Somatidia longipes, Sharp, N. Zealand 82 Soronia optata „ „ 48
Steuotarsia discoidalis, C. O. Waferhoiise,
Madagascar 84i Tachys arcauicola, T. Blacl-hurn, Sa-
■waiian Islands 158
atomus „ „ ' 158
mucescens „ „ 158
oahuensis „ „ 158
Trichopterj'x Championis, Matthews,
England 64 fratercula ,, „ 65
25 27
26 26
85 65 81 58 58 57 57
HEMIPTERA. GENEBA.
Agasdecca, F. B. White 217
Aka, „ 216
CONA, „ 218
Makgaeetta, „ 74
Metageeea, „ 34
MOKXA, „ 130
Reuua, „ 132
Seiio, ,, 217
Takgaeema, „ 73
SPECIES.
Agandecca annectens, F. B. White,
JV. Zealand 218
Aiiisops assiinilis „ „ 161
Wakefieldi „ „ 161
Aphalara Jakowk-lfi, Scott, Astrakan 266
Apbrophora jactator, F. B. White,
N. Zealand 214 Aspongopus affinis,D/sia»^, W. Africa... 11 divergens „ „ ... 11
Farleyi „ N.Africa... 100
iutermedius „ 3Iadagascar 99 modestus „ W. Africa... 11 Athysaiius negatus, F. B. White,
N. Zealand 215 CardiastethusBrouniauus,, „ 159
Cona caelata „ „ 218
Corixa arguta „ „ 161
Doridium Westwoodi „ „ 215
Margaretta doniinica „ „ 75
iIeg;iloceiwa Reuteriana „ „ 130
Melampsalta Maugu „ „ 214
Metagerra obscura, F. B. White,N. Zealand 34 Morua capsoides „ ,,
Scotti _ „ „
Nabis Saundevsi „ „
Neides Wakefieldi „ „
Nj'sius anceps „ „
Huttoni „ „
Platymevis coufusa, Distant, Ni/nssa 100
Reuda Mayri, J". 5. White, N.Zealand... 132 Salda Butleri „ „
leelaps ,, „
Scolopostethus Putoni „
Semo cl3'peatus „ „
Targarenia electa „ „
Stall Toseua spleiidida, Distant, W. Africa Tiioza dicbroa, Scott, Astrakan
131
131
159
31
33
32
160
160 75
217 74 73 76
265
HYMENOPTERA.
Halictus breviceps, F. Saunders, Fngland 200 loDgiceps „ „ 200
LEPIDOPTERA.
Abisara Rogei'si, J)r2«ce, ^»(7oZa 101
Agrotis arenivolaus, Butler, Ilaicaiian
Islands 269 Botys localis „ „ 271
Eurema Cliaron, Sewitson, Fctcador 151
Eurygona Alcmena, I>r!tre, „ lOl
Julia „ Santarem ... 102
Pbelina „ Venezuela ... 101
Larentia insularis, Butler, Saivaiian
Islands 272
Lexicania photopbila „ „ 269
LeucochitoneaEarina,jEfe«t'j7soM, P«ra ... 152
Elelea „ Cayenne. 152
Falisca „ „ 153
Lathaja „ Bolivia.. 151
Lyrcwa „ „ 151
Mecyna exigna,Butler,IIawal!an Islands 271
Mesosemia Sylvia, Druce, Bolivia 101
Tby-stes, „ Peru 101
Oligostigma curta, Butler, Saivaiian
Islands 270 Pseudocoremia paludicola „ „ 272
Scardia lignivora „ „ 273
Scotosia vara „ „ 273
Tiuea orientalis, Stainton, Singapore ? ... 133
NEUROPTERA. GEXUS.
A.T^ET'&ovvB, Alharda 129
SPECIES.
Avaet\-o\)\\» h-AgiW?,, Albarda, FLolland ... 129
Caeuis cihaxia,, Faton, Nyassa 2'J8
Kuiigu, „ „ 268
Centroptilum \.ene\\nm,Alharda,Solland 128 Cordulegaster Godmani, McLachlan,
Costa Rica 35 Hetariiia maxima, „ „ 214
Isoiiycbia i'eviugmea.,Alharda,I[olland,(^-c. 128 Limuophilus hyaliuatus, Wallengren
Scatidinavia 274
iustillatus, „ „ 274
rbaiiidopliorus, „ „ 274
scaluus ,, „ 274
Stenophylax Thedeuii „ „ . 275
ADDITIONS TO THE BRITISH INSECT FAUNA BROUGHT FORWARD IN THIS VOLUME.
COLEOPTERA.
Aphodins melanostictus, ScAw^jj 280
Kagous diglyptus, Boh 235
Harpalus obloiigiusculus, Bej 203
Tricliopteryx Champioiiis(sp.n.),ilfa^Wews 64
fratercula „ „ 65
volans, Mots. „ „ 64
HEMIPTERA.
Dicraiionenva aureola, Fall 202
Eupelex spat'.iulata, (?«•)» 233
Peritiechus gracilicoriiis, Futon 201
DIPTERA. Tliereva fuscipennis, Meiff 19
HYMENOPTERA.
Halictus breviceps (sp. n.)> ^- Saunders 200
longiceps „ „ 200
pauxillus, Schenck 200
puncticolHs, Jlorawitz 200, 236
Mimesa equestris, F. 199
Oxybelus inaudibularis, D6>» 199
Pompilus consobrinus, D6?» 199
LEPIDOPTERA.
Coccj'x Oclisenheimei-iana, 2eWer 146
Depressavia atomella, W. V. 188
Elachista monticola, Wocke 178
Euzophera oblitella, Zei/er 187
Nepticula lapponica, Wocke 239
Nou agi-ia sparganii, ^sper 236
Peiithina postremana, Ze/Zer 14,39
Tinea fenestratella. Hey den 238
LARV.E OF BRITISH SPECIES DESCRIBED IN THIS
VOLUME.
Acidalia imitaria, JH". Go.ss 108
Cidaria reticulata, W. Buckler 61
Cocc3'x distinctana, J. S. Wood 109
hyrciniana ,, 109
Cocbj'lis alteniana, C. G.Barrett 145
stramiueana „ 145
Crambus coiitaminellus, W. Buckler 38
gcniculeus „ 206
Ebulea verba>^ralis „ 102
Elachista stabilella, W. Warren 16
Epbippiphora nigricostana „ 15
Eubolia bipunctaria, Q. T. Porritt 37
Eupcecilia atricapitana, C. Gr. Barrett ... 141
curvistrigana, „ ... 143
hybridella, „ ... 141
implicitaua „ ... 144
Eupcecilia maculosaiia, J", jff. TTbocZ 149
Hoinoeosoma biuffivella, C. G-. Barrett ... 181
sinuella „ ... 180
Lycsena Medon (Agestis), W. Buckler ... 241
Miana fumncula, (?. T. Porritt 91
Myelois cribrum „ 258
piuguii, W. Buckler 162
Orthotaeiiia antiquana, C. G. Barrett ... 148
striana, „ 147
Rhodophaea advenella, ,, 182
consociella, „ 182
Selidosema plumaria, G. T. Porritt 137
Spilonota roboiana, C. G. Barrett 247
rosacolaiia, „ 247
triiuaculana, „ 247
Xylomyges conspicillaris, W. Buckler ... 17
REVIEWS.
Hymenoptera Gymnocerata Europse, vol. i : O. M. Eeuter 19
Tlie Natural History of Hastings, St. Leonards, and vicinity 72
Tlie Fauna of Scotland : Hymenoptera, Pt. i : P.Cameron 93
Synopsis dcs Hemipteres-Heteropteres de France, Pt. i : Dr. Puton 94
Heniiptera-Heteroptera Ncerlandica : S. C. Snellen von YoUenhoven 192
A Catalogue of the British Tenthredinidse : P.Cameron 210
The Butterflies of North America, Pt. vii : W. H. Edwards 2(52
Notes of observations on Injurious Insects : E. A. Ormerod ■ 263
OBITUARY.
William Chapman Hewitson 44
CarlStal 72, H
Yictor Grhiliani 167
T. W. Wonfor 167
Adam White 210
Frederick Smith 240,263
WOOD-CUTS.
Galls on Pai'inarium curatellifolium 97
An undetermined Oak-gall 197
ERRATA.
Page 76, line 18 from bottom, /or "21 melano]}tera,-w]nte," reacl"T. melanoptera^hite." „ 129, „ 29 „ to^, for " hepatieus," read '^ hepaticus." „ 154, „ 10 „ bottom, ybr " parts although," reaf^ "parts. Although." „ 192, lines 2 & 3 from top,/or " p. 387 a 393," 7-ead " p. 151 a 172." ,, 258, line 2 from bottom, _/or "last," read "second." ,, „ last line, dele " only."
Pages 231 — 233, for " Eupelix," read " Eupclex," the original Greek derivation being correctly given by Germar.
THE
^SS^^ VOLUME XY. "^^//^
INTEODUCTOEY PAPEES ON FOSSIL ENTOMOLOaY. BY H. GOSS, F.L.S., F.G.S.
No. 1.
'[On the importance of an acquaintance toith the suhject : its hearing on the question of the evolution of insects, and the evidence it affords of the antiquity of their familt/ fi/pes.^
Altliougli Entomology has attracted a larger number of workers than any other branch of Zoology, the fossil remains of the Insecta, and their affinities with existing genera and species of that class of the animal kingdom had, until a comparatively recent date, received scarcely any attention.
This is somewhat remarkable, because since the time of Cuvier, not only have the remains of the Vertehrata, the Mollusca, and the Crustacea, been carefully studied, both on the continent and in this country, but even the lowest forms* of animal life have not been ne- glected by Palaeontologists.
It cannot, however, be denied that of the Arthropoda the Insecta are at least as interesting as the Crustacea ; but although fossil insects were first alluded to as long ago as 1700, in Scheuchzers's " Herbarium Diluvianum," and in several later works by Sendelius, Schroter, and others, it was not until 1829, when M. Marcel de Serresf published an important work on the Fossil Invertebrates of the South of France, that they appear to have received serious attention. Ten years later, M. Brulle,;|; in an inaugural address to the Faculte des Sciences de Paris, remarked on the importance of an acquaintance with fossil insects.
More recently. Professor Oswald Heer, of Zurich, most aptly styled by Massalongo "the Cuvier § of Fossil Entomology," has||
* Such as Foraminifera, Radiolaria, and other classes belonging to the Protozoa.
t Geognosie des Terrains tertiaires, (fee, Paris, 1829.
t Sur le gisement des Insectes fossiles, et sur les secours que I'e'tude de ces animaux peut fournir a la Geologle. Paris, 1839.
§ Studii Pulaiontologici, p. 11. Verona, 1856.
II Die Insekten-fauna der Tertiargebilde von CEningen und von Radoboj in Croatian. Leipzig, 1849 Untersuchungen Uber d;is Klirca und die Vegetations- Verhaltuisse des Tertiarlandes. Winterthur, 1860.
June, 1878.
2 [June,
taught us that the clue which is furnished, by a study of the fossil remains of these animals, to a knowledge of the land and freshwater conditions of the earth, and of its climate and vegetation in past ages, is at least as valuable as, and in some respects more valuable than, that afforded by a study of the remains of other orders of the animal kingdom. Sir Charles Lyell* has also exj)ressed an opinion to the same effect.
Probably the chief reason why fossil insects have received so little attention, as compared with the amount bestowed on the remains of other animals, is that they are, so far as present discoveries enable us to judge, very rare, except in a few localities ;t and when found are frequently in such a fragmentary and imperfect condition as to render the identification of the genera, or in some cases even the orders to which they belong, a matter of the greatest difficulty.
The fact that insect remains, especially from the oldest rocks, are not unfrequently in an imperfect condition is not surprising ; and it is rather a matter of astonishment that any traces of such fragile animals should have been preserved to us at all after the lapse of ages. In some cases, however, the strata in which insects have been found, and the circumstances under which they became embedded therein, appear to have been especially favourable to their preservation, ren- dering the determination of their species, or at least of the genera to which they belong, a matter of no more difficulty than in the case of living insects.
A further reason, probably, for the comparative neglect of this branch of Palaeontology is, that even a superficial acquaintance with the various orders of insects, and theii" families and genera, is much less frequently possessed by Geologists and Palaeontologists than a knowledge of the Yertehrata, the MoUusca, or the Crustacea ; and although students of Bracltiopoda amongst the MoJlusca, and of Enfomostraca and other classes of the Crustacea, can be counted by the score, there are, I think, scarcely half-a-dozen English Greologists who would be capable of forming an opinion as to the order even, to which a fossil insect, when discovered, should be referred.
On the continent, however, the study of fossil entomology is receiving, and has, during the last thirty years, received, a considerable amount of attention from Dr. Heer, Dr. Giebel, Dr. Hagen, Professor Germar, Dr. Goldenberg, M. Oustalet, and many others.
• Lyell's Elements of Geology, 6th edit , p. 255.
+ Such as ffiningeii, in Switzerland ; Eadoboj, in Croatia ; Siebengebirge on the Rhine : Corent and Menat, in Aiivergne ; Aix, in Provence; Monte Bulca, near Veroua, in Italy ; and in several places in North America.
1878.
In America, too, in consequence chiefly of the impetus given to the investigation of the subject by the indefatigable Mr. Scudder, discoveries of fossil insects are almost daily being made by members of the United States Greological Survey.
There can be no doubt that when Geologists are more fully awake to the important deductions to be drawn from an examination of fossil insects, and a comparison of their geographical distribution with that of living species, the remains of this class of the animal kingdom will be more generally sought for and attentively studied.
Not only is this branch of Palaeontology of interest and import- ance to the Greologist, but to the Zoologist also, as throwing some light on the question of the origin and development of insects ; the com- parative antiquity of the several orders, and their families and genera ; the respective dates of their apparition on the geological horizon ; and the affinities existing between living and extinct species.
Before proceeding to show how little direct evidence has as yet been furnished, by Palseontological researches, in support of the theory of the evolution of insects from some primitive types, it will be necessary to refer briefly to the opinions on this point of Professor H^ckel and Dr. Fritz Miiller.
In the opinion of Haeckel, the Insecta^ AracJinida, Ilyriopoda, and Crustacea must have had a common ancestor. The Zoea or Zoepoda, which Haeckel supposes to have been the ancestral form of the Crustacea, are believed by him to have flourished early in the Silurian period, and he thinks that it was probably about the Devonian epoch that certain Zoejpods were naturally selected for a terrestrial life, de- veloped trachese, and became Protracheata, or progenitors of all the great tracheiferous group of the Arthropoda ; whilst those which remained in the water were the ancestors of the branchiferous forms, such as crabs, lobsters, and shrimps. Dr. Pritz Miiller* also is of opinion that the water-inhabiting and water-breathing Crustacea must be regarded as the orginal stem from which the other terrestrial classes, with their tracheal respiration, have branched off.
It is hardly just to these distinguished Naturalists to refer to their opinions in so cursory a manner ; but my excuse for doing so is that it is not within the scope of this paper to discuss the question of the probable origin of insects, but merely to call attention to some of the facts bearing on the subject which have been gathered from Palaeon-
* " Facts for Darwin," translated from the German of Fritz Miiller, by W. S. Dallas, F.L.S., ch. xi, p. ] 20.
4i I June,
tological researches ; and to sliow how little, by itself, the evidence at present obtained by such researches supports the opinions above quoted.
It is a most remarkable fact that up to the present time we have no record of the discovery, even in the oldest fossiliferous rocks, of any forms which are clearly connecting links between existing types and any simpler organisms.
With the exception of about twelve specimens of Fseudo-Neurop- terous insects, which Dr. Goldenberg* is of opinion should be placed in an extinct order, and which he has named Palceodicfyoptera, the oldest known insects belong, most unmistakably, to the Neuroptera and Ortlioptera. Sir John Lubbock,t although arguing in favor of the theory of evolution, admits that " the earliest known Neuroptera and " Ortlioptera, though in some respects less specialized than existing " forms, are as truly and as well characterized insects as any now " existing ; nor are we acquainted with any earlier forms which in " any way tend to bridge over the gap between them and lower groups."
The Coleoptera and Hemiptera are almost as old as the Neuroptera and Ortlioptera ; and even the comparative!}^ modern orders — the Dip- tera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera — have existed for ages.
From the fact that the family types of this class of the animal kingdom are of such vast antiquity, and that the remains of insects up to the present time discovered, even in the oldest strata, have all, with the few exceptions before mentioned, been referred to existing orders, it is evident that present Paljeontological investigations do not furnish us with much direct evidence in support of the theory of the evolution of insects from lower forms, and we must look therefore to Embryology for light upon the subject.
It must be remembered, however, as Mr. Darwin;}; observes, that " the noble science of G-eology loses glory from the extreme iniper- " fection of the record. The crust of the earth with its embedded " remains must not be looked at as a well filled Museum, but as a " poor collection made at hazard and at rare intervals."
The force of these remarks is especially felt in the particular branch of Palaeontology which is the subject of this paper. Although fossil insects have, in cei-tain strata, and in a few widely scattered localities, been obtained in considerable numbers, they appear to be, as a rule, extremely rare and local.
* Fauna Saraepontana Fossilis, 1877.
t The Origin and Metamorphosis of Insects, c. v, p. 86.
J The Origin of 8pecie.% oh. xiv, p 487 (1859).
1878.] 5
The great antiquity, not only of tlie existing orders of insects, but even, in many cases, of their families and genera, as compared with the Vertebrata, and the very small amount of change which has taken place in them during the geological record is remarkable.
The truth of this assertion will be evident to any one who com- pares the fossil Insecta, even from the older formations, with the remains of animals of almost any other classes which existed during the same period.
Compare, for instance, the fossils of the English Lias with the existing orders of animals : the insect remains of this period have been referred by Professor Westwood* and the Eev. P. B. Brodie, to Gara- hidce, Telephoridce, Elateridce, CurcuUonidce, Chrysomelided, Slattidce, Gryllidce, &c., all represented at the present day ; but with regard to the Vertebrata, where are the representatives at the present day of the Saurians, the flying lizards, and other gigantic reptiles of the Lias ?
" When we consider," says Mr. A. R.Wallace, in his "Greographical distribution of animals," " that almost the only Vertebrata of this "period («. e., the Lias), w^ere huge Saurian reptiles like the Ichthyo- " saurus, Plesiosaurus, and Dinosaurus, with the flying Pterodactyles ; " and that the great mass of our existing genera, and even families, of " fish and reptiles had almost certainly not come into existence, we see " at once that types of insect form are proportionately far more " ancient. At this remote epoch, we find the chief family types (the " genera of the time of Linnaeus) perfectly differentiated and recog- "nisable."
In the next paper, I propose to treat of the comparative age of the existing orders of insects, and the sequence in which they respec- tively appeared on the geological horizon. Surbiton Hill : 1st May, 1878.
NOTES EEaAEDINQ SOME EAEE PAPILIONES. BY D. GREia RUTHERFORD, F.L.S.
1. Papilio antimachus, Drury.
The recent addition to Mr. F. J. Horniman's collection of African Lepidoptera of two fine specimens of this handsome butterfly, has in- duced me to put together such information concerning it as I have been able to acquire, from various sources, during the last few years.
* See " A History of the Fossil Insects in the Secondary Rocks of England," by the Rev. P. B. Brodie, M.A., F.G.S., with introductory observations by Professor Westwood. London, 1345.
(j [June,
There appears good reason to believe, with Donovan, that the first example of P. Antimachus ever known to naturalists is that described and figured by Drury in 1782, in the 3rd volume of his " Illustrations of Exotic Entomology." It was taken by Mr. Smeathman at Sierra Leone in 1775, was purchased at the sale of his insects in 1805 by Mr. Macleay, and is now generally believed to be in the Museum at Sydney.
It is regarded as some proof of the extreme rarity of this species, that nearly a century elapsed before another specimen is known to have reached England. This was taken at Old Calabar by Miss Diboll, a missionary lady residing at Creek Town, and is now in the collection of Mr. Christopher Ward, of Halifax. It is in good preservation ; and expands, if I remember rightly, a little over eight inches.
A few years later, Mr. W. C. Hewitson had the satisfaction of adding to his rich collection the third known example, an account of the capture of which at Gaboon appeared in this Magazine, March, 1874. It measures 7^ inches. Soon after, Mr. Hewitson received a second specimen from the same region. It is somewhat more highly coloured than the other, varies slightly in the shape of the markings and spots on the wings, and expands 8| inches.
About the same time, Mr. Thomas Chapman, of Glasgow, came into possession of a specimen in rather a curious way. Learning from a friend that the captain of an African trading ship had brought home with him two large butterflies, he went to inspect them. He found the box containing them lying open in the middle of a circle of ad- miring children, one of whom had got hold of what he soon discovered to be a fine Antimaclius, and was using it as a plaything ! Mr. Chap- man's emotions, until he had the specimen safe in his own hands, are more easily imagined than described. It is the largest example known, expanding 9t(J inches. It was taken at some locality far up the Gaboon river.
Not long after, another specimen, also I believe from Gaboon, came to England, and is now in Mr. Henley Grose Smith's collection.
The next specimen of which I have any knowledge was taken by the Kev. T. W. Thomson, one of the missionaries belonging to the Baptist Mission Settlement at Ambas Bay, during a journey he made last September through the country lying immediately to the north- east of Mount Camaroons. It expands 8| inches, and is almost perfect. A less perfect and rather smaller specimen was captured a few months ago by a native of the hill country lying north of the Sherboro' river. It measures 8^ inches. These two specimens are now in the possession of Mr. F. J. Horniman.
1878.] 7
So far as I am aware, the above are the ouly specimens known to exist in any collection. "With the exception of Drury's type and Mr. Henley G-rose Smith's specimen, I have examined them all carefully. Those in the collections of Messrs. Ward, Hewitson, Chapman, and Horniman are all males ; and, judging by Donovan's figure, made from Drury's type, and from the description given to me of Mr. Smith's specimen, I have no hesitation in concluding they belong to the same sex. Whether the female, as in so many of the African Bhopalocera, differs from the male, either in form or colour, or, like its allied species P. Zalmoxis, is in all respects similar to the male, is at present matter for conjecture, and we must wait patiently for some fortunate capture before we can speak with certainty regarding it.
Prom the measurements I have given, it will be seen that the species varies greatly in size. The differently shaped markings and spots on the wings are also subject to considerable variation.
In their " Species Lepidoptei'orum hucusque descriptfe," C. & E. Telder place P. Antimachus beside P. Ridley anus, with which they con- sider it has a true affinity. An exhaustive examination of both has failed to convince me that they have any affinity which is based upon structure. They have, it is true, a general resemblance to each other in coloration and markings on the wings and bodies, but the antennae of the two species are totally different. In P. Ridley anus, and, indeed, in almost every one of the species of the group to which it has hitherto been referred, viz., group 15 of Boisduval, the antennae are short and suddenly clavate, almost rounded at the points ; whereas those of P. Antimachus are long, thicken gradually, and terminate abruptly. If this species has any close ally, I believe it to be P. Zalmoxis, which, though so different in colour, varies but slightly iu the shape of the wings, and is possessed of exactly tbe same kind of anteunge. There appears to me to be good reason for concluding at present, and until we have further knowledge upon the subject, that these two species represent a transition group between the Ornitliopterce and the true Ra/piliones.
Of the habits of P. Antimachus nothing is known beyond what is recorded by Drury, as communicated to him by Smeathmau. From his account we gather that it is seen only at mid-day, and flies very rapidly, frequenting only the upper branches of the trees, from whence it darts and glances from one branch to another, sometimes settling upon the lower branches, but never descending nearer to the ground than the height of eight feet. In curious connection with this ac- count of the habits of P. Antimachus, there occurs a passage in a letter
8 [June,
which I have just received fi'om my friend Mr. George Thomson, of Victoria, Ambas Bay, who has recently been exploring the upper regions of Mount Camaroons. " One day (he writes) when sauntering " in front of the house where we lodged (about 5000 feet above the " level of the sea), I observed a large butterfly skimming gracefully " about the tops of the trees. It looked like a large Acrcea. I watched " it, hoping it might descend within reach ; but, after playing about " for some time, it went off in a downward direction, with a steady " sailing flight, but still keeping far from the ground. I could see it " for a long time clear over the trees. I have seen no Acrcea neaidy " so large, nor any other butterfly like it for size and mode of flight. " Could it have been Antimaehus ?" If it was really this fine species (and what else could it have been ?) that my correspondent saw, his description would be a striking confirmation of Smeathman's account.
The fact that examples of P. Antimaehus have been taken at various localities between Sierra Leone and Gaboon would seem to lead us to infer that the species has a wide range of distribution. But such a conclusion, I fear, would be rather premature. Although five localities are mentioned, they yet represent but three regions, which are widely separated from each other, and possess physical features presented by hardly any other portions of VTestern Africa. Sierra Leone and Sherboro' belong to a region of wooded hills and valleys. Old Calabar is so close to the north-western extension of the Camaroons range of mountains, that it may justly be considered part of the same mountain region. That portion of the Gaboon country from which there is every reason to be believed at least three examples of P. Antimaehus have come, is also a region of wooded elevations. We thus find that the only specimens of this species of which we have any knowledge, have come, not only from hilly and mountainous regions, but from the only regions which can be called such lying within the great belt of forest which runs from Senegambia a 5 far south as the estuary of the Congo. Are we to infer from this that the food plant of this insect only grows at certain elevations ?
It has been suggested that one of the reasons why P. Antimaehus has not been met with in other localities than those mentioned is, because no one has sought for it elsewhere, or has hit upon the exact locality, or collected during the right season. I can only remark that all this is just possible, but scarcely probable, when we consider that Mr. Skertchly made large collections in the forests of Ashantee, — that Mr. Crossley, one of the most diligent of collectors, explored the most accessible parts of Camaroons, — that the writer collected dui'ing seven
1878 ] 9
montha in the same region, eight in the country immediately north and east of Mount Camaroons, and four on the Cross Eiver, north of the Old Calabar country, without ever capturing a single specimen of P. Antimachus. "When "West Africa is better explored than it is at present, we may come to know something more than we do now regarding the habits of this interesting species ; but, until then, what we do know leads me to conclude that it is not only one of the most local of African butterflies, but also one of the rarest.
Surrey House, Forest Hill : May, 1878.
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OP BUTTERFLY FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
BT IS". C. TL'ELT, T.L.S.
The Eev. T. Blackburn has sent over a new butterfly belonging to the family Lyccenidce, specimens of which were placed in Mr. Hewit- son's hands to be figured and described. Unhappily, the state of Mr. Hewitson's health makes it very uncertain when he will be able to finish his work, so he thought it better that I should publish a short description of this species at once.
HOLOCHILA BlACKBUENI, 01. Sp.
Expands yf — IjV'- Shape of Thecla r'ubi, except that the costa of the fore- wing is not abruptly arched near the base, and that the abdominal edge of hind-wing slopes more regularly towards the anal angle, which is rounded, so that the incipient lobe which exists in rtibi is wanting ; the hind margins of the wings are also quite entire.
(J . Above deep purplish-blue, in certain lights very dark olivaceous-brown (almost black). LTnder-side exactly like riibi, except that the whitish cilia are narrow and unspotted, and that the pale grey space on the inner margin of fore-wing is not tinged with brown.
$ . Above, fore-wing shining purplish-blue, with very broad costal and outer border black ; hind-wing black, with a patch of a similar blue to that of fore-wing occupying nearly the abdominal half of the wing, but not quite reaching either the abdominal margin, or the anal angle. Under-side as in <J .
Thorax and abdomen (in both sexes) above, black, below, whitish ; slenderly clothed on both sides with fine white hairs. Antennae slender, black, white-ringed, club tinged with brown. Type B. M.
This species is altogether a more slender insect than T. rubi, not only in the thorax, but also in the texture of the wings. The green scales of the under-side (of a rather different shade to those of rubi) are very delicate, and most of the specimens sent showed signs of much
10 [June,
wear and tear. The only two females are somewhat rubbed, and the extent of the blue patch is rather uncertain, it is probably always ill- defined. The males do not vary, except in size ; both the largest and smallest specimens were of this sex, the females both being medium sized.
Taken in a mountain pass in the Island of Oahu in March, " flying about in some numbers, frequenting the flowers of the Koa (a forest tree that grows in mountain localities). The insects were very tame, and when settled low enough, could be taken by the fingers, the ma- jority, however, kept high up beyond the reach of any ordinary net."— T. B.
Although, for convenience sake, I have given a comparative de- scription, this species has no real afiinity with Thecla rubi, but belongs, as Mr. Butler informs me, to the genus HoJochila, Feld., which is in- cluded by Kirby in his genus Pleheius. HoJochila comprises ahsimilis (Pleb. No. 291 in Kirby's list) and a few other Australasian species, to none of which does Blackhm-ni appear to be closely allied.
Mortimer Lodge, Wimbledon Park : May IWi, 1878.
NOTES ON AFEICAN HEMIPTERASETEROPTERA. BY W. L. DISTANT.
SCUTATA.
Genus ASPONGOPUS, Lap.
AspoNGOPUs NiGEO-TiOLACEUs, P. B., Ins., p. 83, Hem., pi. 7, fig. 4- (1805).
This species seems to have had some vicissitude in nomenclature. In the B. M. Catalogues it is placed in the genus Cyclopelta. As figured above, however, the 5-jointed antennse are plainly visible, as they are also in H. Schaffer's figure of its synonym Aspo7igopus unicolor, Wanz., Ins., iv, fig. 433. Stal again considers it (Hem. Af., i, p. 216, and En. Hem., i, p. 83) as a variety only of Aspongopus vidiiatus, Fab. I am indebted to Mr. Eutherford for the examination, at different times, of a large number of specimens of both species, and, apart from the very different colour above, have always found the following well- defined differences :
1878.] 11
Second and third joints of antennae of equal length.
Abdomen above rufous. Long., ^ , 12 mm., $ , 15 ram nigro-violaceus.
Second joint of antennae somewhat longer than the third.
Abdomen above cyaneous. Long., (?,14! — 16 mm., ? , 17 — I'd ra.\n.... viduatus.
AspojfGOPUS AFri>'is, n. sp.
Dark shining green, thickly and coarsely punctured ; pronotum rugulose, scu- tellum transversely rugose. Fi-ontal and lateral edges of pronotum, a small central spot at base of scutellum, basal half of border of corium above and below, and ab- dominal border above, luteous. Antennae narrowly and obscurely fuscous at tip, 3rd and 5th joints equal, 2nd joint minute, 4th joint incrassated towards tip, shorter than the 3rd and oth. Head strongly emarginate in front, with the lateral lobes broadly reflexed. The luteous border of the pronotum is widest in front, where it contains the two usual sliglitly raised prominences. The lateral edges are strongly reflexed. Membrane dark fuscous. Under-side coarsely punctate. Coxae, tro- chanters, and lateral sides of prosternum, very broadly luteous. Abdomen below dark greenish-testaceous, much more prominently testaceous on disc, and green towards lateral borders. Femora obsoletely spinous, hind tibiae somewhat dilated except at base and apex, dilated portion distinctly sulcate. Eostrum luteous at base.
$ . Long., 18 mm.
Isubu (W. Africa).
AUiod to A. pafruelis, St?il, from which it can be at once struc- turally distinguished by the broadly reflexed lateral borders of the pronotum.
ASPOXGOPFS DIVERaEKS, «. Sp. Above fuscous, shining, strongly rugose and punctate. Head and antennae bi-assy-black. Head strongly emarginate in front, lateral lobes, slightly sinuate, strongly reflexed. 2nd and 3rd joints of antennae sub-equal, 4th somewhat com- pressed, obsoletely sulcated above, rather shorter than apical joint, which is the longest. Pronotum with the lateral angles moderately produced and rounded. Corium rather paler in colour. Membrane concolorous, but largely suffused with brassy-green, which in some specimens appears only at apex, and in others more so throughout the membranal area. Abdomen above castaneous, with the margins brassy-black. Under-side of body and legs brassy -black, thickly and finely (the legs more coarsely) punctate. Femora obtusely spinous, tibiae strongly sulcated.
9 . Long., 21 mm. ; exp. ang. pi'onot., 12 mm.
Camaroons. Isubu.
The prominence of the lateral angles of the pronotum sufficiently distinguishes this from any other known African species of the genus. Its somewhat elongate form and sulcated tibiee also give it a charac- teristic which is slightly divergent from the typical forms of Aspongo- pus. In all essential characters, especially in the size and shape of the head and the broad and rounded scutellum, it agrees perfectly with that genus.
ASPONGOPUS MODESTUS, 11. sp. Ovate, bronzy-black. Head, pronotum and scutellum thickly and coarsely punctured, the last transversely rugulose. Corium thickly and finely punctured. Head sli2;ht!v emarginate in front, with the lateral lobe obsoletely reflexed. An-
12 [Juno,
tennse with the 2ad joint a little longer than the 3rcl, 4tli compressed, obsoletely
sulcated, a little shorter than apical joint, which is the longest. Pronotum with an
obscure transverse impression, about one-third from ajDCX. Membrane fuscous.
Under-side of body thickly and finely punctured, excepting on disc of abdomen,
which is impunctate, and shining fuscous. Rostrum luteous, pitchy towards the
apes. Cosse luteous, anterior femora prominently spinous beneath.
Long., 11 mm.
Isubu.
Apart from colour, the nearest allied African form to the above would appear to be A. pullus, Stal.
Derwent Grove, East Dulwicli : May, 1878.
DIMORPHISM AND ALTERNATION OF GENERATIONS IN THE
CYNIFID^.
Simultaneously with the announcement from Mr. Fletcher pub- lished in otu' May No. (Vol. xiv, p. 265) that he had confirmed Dr. Adler's statement (see Vol. xiv, p. 44), so far as two of the supposed species are concerned, there appeared in the Pet. Xouvelles Entomolo- giques for May 1st, 1878, an article by our correspondent M. Lich- tenstein under the title " Les Cynipides mono'iques," in which he stated that he had obtained galls of Spathogaster haccarum from eggs laid by Neuroterus Jenticularis.
Mr. Fletcher has since informed us that he also obtained two galls of S. haccarum, the produce of N. lenticulnris, but the little oak upon which they were has died. He has now bred S. vesicatrije from the galls before alluded to.
We doubt not that all Dr. Adler's statements will be fully con- firmed, instead of being " blown to the winds," as it was recently asserted they already had been. — Eds.
ON PARTHENOGENESIS IN THE r^iy'riZ'i?^Z>/.Y/i).2:,& ALTERNATION OE GENERATIONS IN THE CYNIPIDJ]:.
BY P. CAMEROX.
In a paper which I published in the " Scottish N^aturalist " for October last, I pointed out that the ^ of Pcecilosoma pulveratum, Retz. (ohesa, H.),was quite unknown, and suggested that here we had a case of parthenogenesis. I am glad to be able to confirm this view by direct observation.
At the beginning of the present month (May), I found, in a small bottle containing two or three corks into which the larvae of P. 2)ul- veratum had bored to pass the pupal state, two females of that species.
1878.] 13
One was dead, but the otlier Lad apparently only recently emerged, I at once went out and cut a twig of alder, the food plant of the larva, and placed it and the saw-fly under a bell-glass in the sunshine. The insect, which had been hitherto very sluggish, and had remained motionless in one position, at once on feeling the sunshine became very lively, and flew up and down the enclosure. Soon it discovered the food-plant : examined it nearly all over, and ultimately fixed upon a young, half-grown leaf. At first it rested motionless in the middle of the leaf, then it came close to the border, fixed the outer legs along the edge, then raised the body up so that it was a little more than the height of the tibiae from the surface of the leaf, which, it may be added, was a little bent on one side. In this position it remained for about a couple of seconds : then the abdomen was bent down, the saw was inserted into the leaf, and apparently was moved up and down but without being withdrawn out of the leaf ; at least, I infer this from the motion of the abdomen. The saw was not put in straight, but was bent a little forward ; the two leathery sheaths remained at right angles to the saw itself. After being in the leaf for a few seconds, the saw was withdrawn ; the insect remained motionless for a second or two, and then the abdomen was bent down again, the saw inserted (but I think not very deeply) into the hole already made, and the egg deposited. During the egg-laying, the antennse were a little raised above the height of the head, with a slight curve, and almost rigid. The whole operation lasted about eighty or ninety seconds. Several minutes elapsed befoi'e the next egg was laid. All were deposited on the thick half-grown leaves, sometimes singly, sometimes as many as three were placed on the same leaf. They were deposited close to, but not touching any of, the nerves, and on the under-side of the leaf. Immediately after being laid, the eggs were quite invisible ; but by twenty-four hours they had swollen up very much, and wei^e easily recognised as greenish oblong elevations. Eight days after being deposited I extracted, with great trouble, an egg from its bed in the epidermis, and on placing it under the microscope, had no difiiculty in seeing the future larva curled up inside, which showed conclusively that the eggs were quite fertile. I am not, however, sanguine of rearing many of the larvae, because of the difficulty of keeping the plant fresh. The leaf, in drying, contracts and presses in the egg, which thus is killed. Experiments of this nature are best performed on growing plants, and are, of course, best carried out by one living in the country. In the above-mentioned paper, I expressed views unfavourable to the occurrence of alternation of generations in the CynipidcB. I now willingly admit that I then attached too much importance to mere negative observations, and I am very glad to say that I have this spring made some observations on Neuroterus lenticularis, which con- firm those of Dr. Adler.
31, Willowbank Crescent, Glasgow : May, 1878.
14 [June,
Apatura Iris in the New Forest. — I am pleased to find by Mr. Goss's note (vol. xiv, p. 256) my opinion as to the scarcity of A. Iris in the Xew Forest confirmed, but I am inclined to think that his theory of the New Forest being too far westward for A. Iris is scarcely borne out by facts. From what I can learn at Lyndhurst, some 25 or 30 years ago A. Iris was plentiful in the New Forest, since which time, from some unexplained cause, it has almost disappeared there. Again, in the course of a conversation with Mr. Reeks, of Thauxton, near Weyhill, he informed me that the insect in question was, at the proper time, to be taken in some quantity in Cjllingbourne and Dole Woods, near Andover.
They have, to my own knowledge, been taken in the woods near Salisbury, al- though but rarely ; therefore, I think we must look to some other cause than that suggested by Mr. Goss to account for its disappeai-ance in the New Forest. — H. Neale, 45, The Canal, Salisbury : Mat/ 16th, 1878.
Colias Edusa at Folkestone. — I saw a specimen of Colias Fdusa on the borders of Lady Wood, at Folkestone, fly swiftly past me, on the 28th ultimo. — H. V. Knaggb, 189, Camden Road : Qth May, 1878.
On the hahits of Biston hirtaria. — The observation recorded below may, or may not, bear upon the notes on habits of this species published by Mr. Silcock in Vol. xiv of this Magazine, p. 43.
On the morning of Friday, the 3rd inst., I noticed a ? on the trunk of a lime tree in this road, about nine feet from the ground : I think she was not there on the previous morning. She remained in precisely the same position up to this evening, when I dislodged her with my umbrella during a heavy rain, fearing the weather might prevent a more minute examination. This ^ is in perfect condition, and as inert as is usual in the species : but either she had previously laid all her eggs, or teas originally barren; the latter is perhaps the more probable. To my certain knowledge she had remained about 108 hours without shifting her position in the smallest degree. It is unusually late for the insect. — R. McLachlan, Limes Gi-ove, Lewisham : 7th May, 1878.
Penthina postremana bred ; a species new to Britain. — ^On the 7tli October last when searching for the larva of Cidaria reticulata amongst the veild-balsam {Im- patiens noli-me-tangere) , I split open a few stems of that succulent plant and found an active Tortrix larva, whitish-green, with black head. Mentioning this discovery to Mr. H. T. Stainton he was able to inform me, on referring to Kaltenbach's most valuable work, that Penthina fuligana had been bred by Herr Miihlig from larvae which wintered in the dry stems of Impatiens noli-me-tangere. About the middle of April I split open some stems, and found the larvae were quite lively. On the 4th inst., I bred two lovely specimens of postremana. — J. B. Hodgkinson, 15, Spring Bank, Preston : May 8th, 1874.
[The namefnligana is employed in Kaltenbach's work as being that used in Staudinger and Wocke's Catalogue, whei'e ustulana and carbonana are quoted as doxibtful synonyms.
1878.] 15
Mr. Barrett has recorded m this Magazine (Vol. ix, p. 129) that Antithesia ustulana had been bred by Lord Walsingham, fromlarvse found feeding in the stems of Stachys palustris in the Cambridgeshire fens ; and Mr. Barrett informs us (Vol. X, p. 146) that Ephippiphora nigricostana has been confounded with Antithesia fuligana, from the fact that both feed in the same plant — Stachys sylvatica. Von Heinemann 'pXa^es fuligana next to nigricostana, and says that they come very close together. Postremana, which also feeds in the stems of Impatiens noli-me-tangere, follows almost as the next species to fuligana in Von Heinemann's work. — H. T. S.]
Economy of the larva of Ephippiphora nigricostana. — I first bred this insect from larvffi found at Twickenham in the winter of 1863. I met with it again in numbers in the neighbourhood of Doncaster in 1874 and 1875, and this winter hare been successful in finding larvae round Cambridge, wherever the food-plant Stachys syloatica occurs.
The egg is evidently laid among the flowers, and the larva, on hatching, at once eats its way down the flower-stalk, and so down into the main stem, packing the space behind it very closely with its "frass." In October it may be found nearly full-fed at different heights in the stem ; as winter approaches it descends, and in December is generally just above the level of the ground, and here it is to be found again in February ; in the interval, however, it seems to eat its way underground, by mining the roots, or rather the horizontal suckers, which stretch from plant to plant; for these may in spring be found as closely packed with "frass " as were previously the higher parts of the stem. By April the larvae have climbed up into the top of the plant, often through the old "frass " and into dried flower stems, scarcely as wide as themselves, and here the pupae may be ionnAjust leloio a joint in the stem, fastened by a few threads, but otherwise quite unprotected.
The larva is of a pale lemon-yellow colour, with pale brown head; long and thin ; attenuated towards the tail, and fond of wriggling backwards. If, by accident, a larva has been ejected from a broken stem and a fresh untenanted one be presented to its tail, it will slip into it as fast as an earth-worm into its hole.
Sometimes in early spring, and in the autumn, before the flower-stalk has lost its greenness, the larva itself bears a greenish tinge, owing to its having lately partaken of the green food of the root or fresh stem.
I think it is certain that the root is only used as winter pabulum, and perhaps not always even then by all larvae, but only by those, which having found their way into a small or crippled flower-stalk, do not get enough in its substance to feed up upon.
In many cases the mined portion of the creeping root has a hole eaten out at the side, and this usually happens where the flower-stalks, which when dry are very brittle, have been broken ofl: ; it has occurred to me that the larva in this plight, finding itself unable to descend to the root in the ordinary way down the stem, drops to the ground from the broken piece and eats its way into the root, thus making these holes.
The pupa state does not appear to last more than two or three weeks, and (as I have said above) the pupa may often be found in parts of the stem scarcely wider than itself.
The perfect insects, both J and ? , are to be seen sitting at sunset on calm
16 [June.
evenings in May and June on the upper surface of the Stachys leaves, and, with care, may be pill-boxed ; but they are apt to drop or, on the slightest disturbance, to skip from leaf to leaf, and are easily lost either on the ground or among the grass. The males also fly briskly just before sunset along the hedge rows, where the Stachys grows. I cannot help thinking that this insect will be found to be generally distributed all over the island. — W. Waeeen, 51, Bridge Street, Cambridge : April IQth, 1878.
ElacMsta stabilella bred. — In February last I found a number of yellowish Elachista larvae, mining the leaves of a common grass on the chalk soil at Newmarket, which produced in April El. stabilella.
This larva very nearly resembles that of El. Oregsoni, but is more yellowish : while the head and the 2nd segment are pale brownish -. in fact, exactly like the de- scription of El. niyrella : — the plate on the 2nd segment is of precisely the same shape as that of Gregsoni. I found in some cases as many as three or four larvae together ill the brown withered tips of the blades, from which they mine downwards in narrow pale yellow mines to the stem : the larva pupates at the base of the blade under an oval shaped web, just as Gregsoni : and the perfect insect seems to emerge over a lengthened period, as my first specimens came out in the middle of April, and many have not yet emerged : while I found very young larvae still feeding on the 1st of May. Probably, the larvae found in the dried tips of the blades had hibernated : but this point, together with the name of the grass itself, I must leave for further examination. — Id. : May Sth, 1878.
Stinging Lepidopterous larva. — With reference to the notes on luminous and stinging larvae of Lepidoptera contained in the last Vol. of this Magazine, it may not be uninteresting to republish the following statement from Proc. Ent. Soc. (1841), p. 23 : — " Mr. Yarrell exhibited a large and hairy caterpillar, evidently one of the " Lepidoptera, picked up in South America by Capt. Blakeney, E.N., who felt, upon " touching it, a sensation extending up his arm similar to an electric shock, of such " force that he lost the use of the arm for a time, and his medical attendant con- " sidered that his life was for some time in danger." — W. F. Kirby, Dublin : April, 1878.
Description of the larva of Pyrameis Iluntera. — Mr. Blackburn has sent eight specimens of Pyrameis Iluntera, and a full description of the larva, which he found in the island of Maui, or Mowee. This makes only the fourth species of butterfly he has seen. He does not appear to have met with cardui, which, in the " G-enera of Diurnal Lepidoptera," p. 205, is given as found in the Sandwich Islands. Possibly Iluntera has been mistaken for it.
Description of the larva : — Head black, with white pubescence. Sjjiracular line greenish-yellow. Ground colour of each segment greenish-yellow, more or less mot- tled and transversely striped with black (both dorsally and on under-side). Each segment bears (especially about and below spiracular line) long whitish hairs. The third and fourth segments (counting the head as first segment) have each the following in addition, viz., a broad, velvety, black dorsal band, passing from spiracular line to spiracular line, and bearing four long black spines, each spine being itself covered
1S78.] 17
witli spines. The fifth segment is similar to the fourth, saving that it bears seven spines instead of four. Segments six to twelve are similar to five, except that each bears in addition two large white spots placed on the velvety dorsal band just in front of the spines (which run in a row along centre of band) and a little to left and right of the central spines. Most of the spines (especially those intermediate on each segment between the central one and the spiracular lines) spring from a more or less distinct red wart or protubei-ance. Legs and claspers all black, or nearly so. The last segment has no white spots, but is confusedly black and yellowish-green, and bears four spines (placed at the four corners of an imaginary square described on the segment) pointing backwards. Feeds on a species of " everlasting," which grows in sandy places near the sea. Pupa suspended by the tail — of an ashy colour, generally more or less marked with yellow. — N. C. Tfely, Mortimer Lodge, Wimbledon Park: May IWi, 1878.
Note. — In Smith & Abbott's Lepidop. Insects of Georgia, the food-plant of Fyrameis Huntera is stated to be Gnaphalium obfusifolliim.
Natural History of Xylomiges conspicillaris. — It gives me great pleasure to be able to publish some account of the preparatory stages of this rare species, and for the ability to do this I have to thank Dr. Wood (of Tarrington), whose eyes were keen enough to detect a moth resting near the ground on an old gate-post, and for all the world looking like a splinter of the wood on which it was sitting ; my friend had found others previously in similar situations, but this was the first female, and luckily it proved fertile.
The moth was found on June 4t.h, 1877, and she deposited her eggs in clusters on the sides of a chip box during the night of June 5th ; in the cluster sent to me on the 9th, I found them lying three deep, but cannot say if in nature they would •have been laid so thickly ; possibly they might, for some species I know — such as TcBiiiocampa miniosa and gracilis — lay all their eggs in one dense heap.
The larvse were hatched on June 14th and 15th, and ate about half the cluster of empty egg-shells before settling down on the food supplied — viz., Lotus cornicu- latus. The first moult took place on June 20th and 21st ; the second on the 27th and 28th ; the third about July 5tli ; the fourth from 12th to 15th of July; and the last was accomplished by the most advanced larva on July 26th — followed by others at intervals; after this some deaths occurred among my stock, and in addition to the food previously given — viz., L. corniculatus and occasionally Polygonum aviculare, I now gave them Lotus major and Euonymus europceus, and afterwards I learnt from Dr. Wood that I should have supplied them chiefly with the flowers of L. corniculatus, which he found his larvse preferi'ed to the leaves : the first two full-fed burrowed into the earth on August 5th, and were followed not long afterwards by some others, though two individuals chose to remain at last on the surface and pupate there without making any attempt to cover themselves ; whilst those, which had entered the earth formed therein a thick and tough cocoon of earthy particles, looking as thougli they had been kneaded up with fluid, the result being of the texture of a worm-cast, the interior very smooth ; the moths appeared on April 17th, 18th, 19th, and 22nd, 1878.
18 [June,
The egg is of a regular round shape, convex above, and depressed on the under- surface, the shell ornamented with numerous fine ribs and reticulations ; when first laid the colour is a pale bluish-white, by the fourth day changed to a light pinkish- grey, with a zone round the middle and a blotch on the top of light brown, which deepening day by day makes the pale ground still paler by contrast, until the ninth day when the whole egg becomes uniformly of the hue of the bloom on a cluster of purple grapes, and in a few hours the larva is hatched.
The newly liatched larva has a very pale and transparent pinkish-grey body, and a pale brown head, the dorsal vessel showing blackish-brown through some of the segments, but after food has been taken and growth commenced the skin shows glossy liglit yellowish-watery-grcen, with minute black dots. After the first moult the colour changes to a more opaque bluish-green, still with the black dots, and with a paler widisli dorsal and narrower sub-dorsal lines, the head of a yellower-green, sprinkled with black atoms ; after the second moult the same tint of green was re- tained, with the dorsal and sub-dorsal lines as before, but now a still paler spiracular stripe appearo, and in this stage — when the length is about f inch long — the larva ia much like the young larva of Tceniocampa goihica, except that it is more slender and the pale lines are not so white nor so sharply defined. After the third moult the coloui's are much as before, but now the spiracular stripe is decidedly greenish-yellow, or ochreous-yellow, and the tubercular black dots are imperfectly ringed with whitish- yellow. After the fourth moult the general colouring, though deep and of sober richness for a 'time, gradually grows paler, and three varieties could be noticed, brownish-green, ochreous-green, and one or two light brown, the markings as before ; when the larva is about an inch long the last moult occurs, and the size and colouring become that now to be described as belonging to the full-grown larva: the length is from l-i to If inches, the figure tolerably stout, cylindrical, yet tapering very little at either extremity, the eleventh and twelfth segments being rather the thickest, and all the divisions very slightly defined, the skin soft and smooth ; the colour of the glistening head is pale pinkish-drab, with a blackish-brown streak down the front of each lolie, a finer streak at the side, and delicate reticulations on the oth^^r parts ; the ground colour of the back and sides isochreous-greenish-brown, very much but finely freckled with brownish -grey; the second segment is thickly freckled with dark grey- brown, and edged on the front margin with very dark grey, through which, rather distinctly, pass the fine thread-like dorsal and sub-dorsal lines, a trifle paler than the ground ; but on the rest of the body they are of the ground colour merely relieved with outlines of grey-brown, and can only just be traced in their course, more or less interrupted, along a series of double dorsal diamond-shapes of close darkish grey freckling within a larger diamond outline of freckles on the back of each segment ; each of the small tubercular spots, which are ranged in threes on eitlier side of the dorsal region, is of cream-colour or pale drab, bearing a dot of blackish-grey on its upper margin ; lower on the side is a single similar tubercular spot, below which the grey freckles form a dark contrasting edge to the paler widish spiracular stripe of feddish-drab or flesh-colour, most delicately freckled with whitish ; the spiracles are pale flesh-colour, finely outlined with black ; the side below them with the legs is of similar freckled ground-colour, but rather paler than the back, and the belly is iTufreckled.
1878. J 19
The pupa is nearly | inch in length, and about ^ in diameter, of somewhat dumpy shape, the head and thorax thick and rounded, the three flexible rings of the abdomen well cut at the divisions, their anterior ridges having punctate roughness, convexly tapered towards the rather blunt tip, which is furnished with four diverging shortish spines, the outer pair much the shortest ; the colour is dai'k purplish-brown, and the surface shining.— William Buckler, Emsworth : A2}ril 30th, 1878.
Clivina fossor myrmecoph ilous. — Whilst out collecting at Wliinmoor, near Leeds, early in April this year, I came across several nests of Formica Jiava,J)e Greer, which I searched for myrmecophilous Coleoptera, and, to my surprise, found in them Clivina fossor, L., an addition to Mr. Janson's published lists.
I have found this beetle, singly, in several localities round Leeds this season, but here in a few moments, from two or three nests I took above a dozen specimens, picking them up with the wetted blade of a penknife, and then with difficulty, as the ants invariably seized them and attempted to carry them off ; the loss of several specimens testifying to their success. — Ht. Ceowthee, The Museum, Leeds : May 6th, 1878.
Phryganea ohsoleta in Ireland. — I possess a specimen of Phryganea obsoleta captured at Ivillarney, in tlie summer of 1867, by Mr. John Ray Hardy, of Man- chester. It is lai'ger and darker coloured than my Scotch examples. See Enfc. Month. Mag., Vol. xiv, p. 117. — Benjamin Cooke, Bowdon : 2)1(1 May, 1878.
Occurrence of Thereva fuscipennis, Meigen, an addition to the British List of Diptera.—ln June and July, 1875, I captured, on the banks of the BoUin, one male and five females of a Thereva, which Mr. Meade and I have determined to be T. fuscipennis (Meig.). Both sexes are described by Scluner. — Id.
lUuieuj.
Hemipteea Gtmxocerata Etjeop^. Hemipteees Gtmnoceeates d'Eueope, DU Bassin de la Mediteeeanee et de l'Asie Russe, decrites par O. M. Reuter. Tome premier, avec 8 planches. Helsingfors : Imorimerie de la Societe Finlandaise de Litterature. 1878. Pp. 1—187. 4to.
Except in Fieber's Europaischen Hemiptera (1861), there is no work in which the European Semiptera-Heteroptera have been treated as a whole, the works of other authors having reference to the product of more restricted limits, and although, in that a great advantage was gained by concentrating into one view the labours of previous Hemipterists, yet the advance in knowledge of new species and of conse- quent views of classification since the date of publication of Fieber's work has been so great as to make the present work extremely welcome. The scope of the term " European " is here extended to include the area lying within the following limits : on the north — the Frozen Ocean ; on the west — the Atlantic ; on the south and east — the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara, the Arabian Gulf, the Syrian Desert, Mesopo- tamia, Chorassan or the Great Salt Desert of Persia, the Hindukoosh, the Bolortag, the Mus-tag, the Thian-Schan, the Altai and Daur Mountains, and also the Seas of Ochotsk and Kamtschatka. Thus are included the following countries which are geographically out of Europe :— Algeria, the coasts of Tunis, Tripoli, and Egypt,,
20 [.luue,
Syria, Suez, Asia Minor, Transcaucasia, the north-west comer of Persia, Turlscstan, Daungaria, and Siberia. The reason given for this is that political and geographical limits are by no means identical with those of Natural History ; and with respect to Hemiptera specially the author finds that tlie species of Asia, the North, and the Mediterranean countries are for the most part European, and that the fauna generally exhibits an essentially European type, although, as happens in certain parts of Europe, many species are found in one part which do not occur in another.
It is evident that the more comprehensive the area thus traced out the less ex- haustive can any descriptive work be at this time, when so much of the ground has been absolutely unworked with regard to Hemiptera, yet there is no doubt already a great amount of species collected and waiting description or revision, and to this end the author seeks the assistance of the directors of museums as well as of amateurs.
With the rules to be observed in the application of specific names we may in main concur, but with respect to genera, however much they may be held to be de riffuettr, there appear to be many logical reasons for objection. Modern genera, even with the most rigid and fine-drawn definitions, are the most unstable idealisms, not only of authors, with regard to the creations of others, but also to those of them- selves at some recently previous time, of which this work exhibits many examples (e. ff. Psallus) ; but this is not the place for a dissertation on the subject, and we reserve for another opportunity some remarks we are tempted to offer. It would, however, be very desirable if, in a work of this kind, the faulty orthography of many generic names were corrected.
The work begins with the Capsidce, the reason given by the author being that he regards them as the lowest in the system, that he has resolved to work from the lowest to the highest, moreover, that these inferior groups specially require revision, and that he is specially acquainted therewith : 148 species are described, forming the Division Plagiognatharia, Keut.
Tlie preface is written in French, and the descriptive matter in Latin ; the printing, done at Helsingfors, is clear and distinct ; the plates, engraved and coloured in Paris from Fieber's drawings, are excellent, and the entomological world may congratulate itself tliat it will here reap the benefit of the labours of a very competent authority.
ExTOMOiiOGicAL SociETT OF LONDON : April 3rd, 1878. — H. W. Bates, Esq., F.L.S., &c., President, in the Chair.
Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod, of Scaring Grove, Isleworth, was elected a Member.
Mr. Grut exhibited, on behalf of the Rev. T. A. Marshall, a collection of insecta captured by the latter in the West Indian Islands of Antigua, Martinique, &c.
Mr. F. Smith exhibited a series of examples of a Harvesting Ant, apparently identical with Myrinina barbata, sent to Mr. Darwin from Florida, by Mrs. Mary Treat. These were remarkable for the variation that existed in the teeth of the mandibles, some having acute teeth, others rounded teeth, and in others the teeth were obsolete, but no intermediate conditions were present, and he had no inform- ation as to whether the forms inhabited different nests or otherwise.
Mr. Berens exhibited a pair of Thesior mauriianica, Staudingcr, from the Atlas Mountains.
i
187S.] 21
Mr. Mc'Lachlan exhibited a Coleopterous larva, sent by Dr. Kirk from Zanzibar, where it was doing great damage as a coifee-borer. It pertained to either the Bu- prestidce or Longicorns (probably to the former), and its mode of life was remark- able, inasmuch as it appeared to establish a communication with the air by cutting a series of small, nearly equidistant, holes (each, externally, about the size of the hole of an Anohium) along the sides of its gallery, commencing internally rather large, but gradually decreasing in diameter until the bark was reached. Various surmises (such as the presence of parasites, &c.) as to the object of this singular habit were put forward, but Mr. McLachlan inclined to the opinion that the holes were really intended for ventilation.
Mr. W. C. Boyd exhibited an example of Oxyptilus Icetus taken at Deal, in June, 1869, and remarked on apparent differences between it and the form captured in Norfolk.
A paper by the Rev. T. A. Marshall, on the entomology of the Windward Islands, was read by the Secretary.
The Rev. H. S. Q-orham communicated the description of a new species of CleridcB, with corrections of synonymy, &c.
Dr. Sharp communicated a paper on some NitidididcB from the Hawaiian Islands.
The Secretary read a paper by Mr. Mansel Weale (accompanied by illustrations) on South African insects, with especial reference to those infesting Acacia horrida, and their protective resemblances, &c. Mr. Wood-Mason exhibited the insects referred to in the paper, and alluded to the resemblance of one of the species of MantidcB noticed in the paper to bird-droppings. The larva of a species of moth of the family PhtfcidcR had the singular habit of forming long cases, like the thorns of the Acacia, and the resemblance was strengthened by the larva attacliing leaflets at the end, so as to cause the cases to bear a still greater resemblance to young thorns. With regard to resemblance between ants and spiders, Mr. Meldola thought the ca?e should be referred to the category of aggressive mimicry, the spiders feeding upon the ants and flies attracted by the sweet secretions of the Acacia.
Mr. Swlnton communicated a paper on " display and dances by insects."
Mr. Slater communicated a paper on the " secondary sexual characters of insects," with especial reference to the development of horn-like processes and elongated mandibles in the males of Coleoptera, alluding to the theories advanced in explanation of the causes and purpose of the growths.
\st 3Iay, 1878.— H. W. Bates, Esq., F.L.S., President, in the Chair.
H. J. Elwes, Esq., F.L.S., of Preston House, Cirencester, was elected a Member, and P. Cameron Esq., of Glasgow, was elected a Subscriber.
Mr. Dunning drew attention to the fact that the Meeting mai'ked the 45th Annivei-sary of the foundation of the Society.
Mr. Distant read a paper on some Hemiptera-Homoptera, with descrif)tions of new species, in which he remarked on the uncertainty of generic nomenclature as a basis upon which to found theories of geographical distribution. He exhibited a specimen of Tetrodes hilineata, Walker, as a remarkable instance of the power some insects appeared to have of resisting damp ; that same specimen having been in a damp relaxing box for over four months without injury.
22 [June,
NEW SPECIES OF aEODEPIIAaOUS COLHOPTERA FROM NEW
ZEALAND.
BY H. W. BATES, F.L.S.
lu tlie paper on the Greodepbagoua Coleoptera of ISTew Zealand, which I published in 187^;, eighty-nine species were catalogued as be- longing to the islands. To this number must be added three species described by Captain Broun in the Trans, of the New Zealand Institute, nine species by myself in Entom. Monthly Mag., Jan. and Feb , 1878 (Vol. xiv, pp. 191 — 198), and eighteen in the following pages, making, in all, one hundred and nineteen species now known as belonging to the New Zealand Fauna in this department.
CiCINDELA AUSTEOMONTAIS'A, n. Sp. Ohlonga, supra saturate olivacea, opaca, suhtilissime sculpturata,fere Icevls ; elytris lunula hunierali,fasciaque brevi mediana vix cnrvata, per marginem cum lunu- la apicali connexa, albis : labro valde transversa, niargine antico fere recto, medio tridentato ; capite stibtilissime strigoso ; thorace lateribus rotundato, postice magis quam antice angustato : eli/tris apice rotundatls, suturd spinosa, dorso cequaliier
subtilissime granulatis : corpore subtus feinoribusque ceneis, sparsim albopilosis.
Long. 5 lin., $ .
Closely allied to C. Feredayi, from which it may be distinguished by the form of the anterior edge of the labrum. This, in the ^ of C. Feredayi, is angularly produced in the middle, and ends in a stout tooth ; but in the same sex of C. austromontana, it is not produced, forming in the middle a sharp tooth with a more obtuse one on each side. Besides this definite structural character, the new species differs in being more parallel- sided, duller in colour, and in the sculpture of the elytra consisting of granules instead of punctures. The usual row of large green punctures is not visible. The white markings are not very different ; but the white margin is interrupted at the end of the humeral lunule, and the median belt is not bent and prolonged pos- teriorly. The forehead and thorax have a few long white hairs.
Castle Hill, Eastern slope of New Zealand Alps, Canterbury (C. M. Wakefield) ; two examples.
Phtsoljesthus insularis.
Oblo7igus, subdepressus, piceo-niger, elytris tlioraceque marginibus rufescentibus, capite thoraceque subopacis, illo antice late concave ; thorace transversim quadrate postice modice angustato, angulis obtusis, ibique niargine elevato,margine postico late rotundato ; elytris politis, striatis, interstitiis convexis. Long. 2^ lin.
Considerably smaller than either of the Australian species already described of this genus ; but agreeing in almost every other respect
1878.] 23
with Ph. australis (Chaudoir). It bears a strong resemblance to the European Badister peltatus, from wbicb its swollen labial palpi at once distinguisb it. It is smaller, and has a shorter thorax, the hind angles having a broad smooth fovea, from which springs a strong bristle. The pale margin of the elytra is confined to the reflexed rim. Canterbury Province (C. M. Wakefield).
Lecanomerus obesulus.
Ohlongo-ovahts, convexus, suhaneo-niger, niiichis, antennis basi, palpis, tibiis fapice piceo except oj tarsisqtte apice riifotestaceis ; marghiibus inflectis thoracis et elytroriim plus minusve rufescentibus ; thorace transversim quadrato, lateribus ro- tiuidatis, angidis posticis fere nulli.s,foveis basalibus sparsim grosse punctatis ; elytris striatis, interstitiis paulo convexis, apice leviter sinuatis.
$. Tarsis qicatiior anticis, articuUs 2 — 3 latissime dilatatis, 2^0 fere semi- circulari, 3'o brevi. Long. 2j — 2i, $ $ .
Distinguished from the other species of the genus by its greater convexity and the sharper and deeper striation of the elytra. The colour of the upper surface is shining black, with a faint brassy metallic sheen on the elytra. The extreme lateral margins of the thorax and the elytra are rufescent ; the two basal joints of the an- tennse, the palpi and the basal half of the tibiae are also of the same colour. The basal fovese of the thorax are coarsely but sparsely punctured.
West Coast, S. Island, numerous examples (C. M. Wakefield).
Htphaepax abstrusus.
II. antarctico proxime affinis, dimidio major. Oblongus, ceneo-niger, anten- narum articulo 1™", tibiisque (apicibus exreptisj rifotestaceis : thorace transversim quadrato, postice paulo magis qiiam antice angustato, lateribus antice late rotundatis, angulis posticis paulo obtusis apice rotundatis, foveis basalibus sparsim grosse punctatis : elytris apice oblique fortiter sinuatis, apud suturam productis, supra undtilatis, sericeo-nitentibus (prcBcipiue ^), striatis, interstitio tertio apicem versus puncto majori conspicuo. Long. 3 lin., ^ ^ •
Agrees with H. ontardicus in almost everything except size ; Castelnau giving 2\ lines as the length of that species, which agrees with a very large number of specimens that I have examined. "The feeble punctiform impression behind " of Castelnau's phrase also in- dicates a difference between antarcticus and the present species, in which the interstitial puncture is very large and conspicuous. When the two species are compared, several other points of difference are observable, which it is impossible to render clear by description.
24 [June, 1878
Described from a single pair ( cJ ? ) from Auckland.
A specimen in Mr. AV^akefield's collection, ticketed "Tairua, Capt. Broun," and others whicli I have examined from "Wellington," and from parts of JSTew Zealand not specified, differ from the type de- scribed in the sutural apex of the elytra not being notably prolonged, and in the thorax being much less rounded on the sides anteriorly and more gradually narrowed to the base. Some of the specimens have a slight greenish tinge, and others have two basal joints of the antennae clearish red. It is impossible, without much further material, to decide whether we have here to deal with several closely allied species, or only with a single variable one.
Bembidium orbifeeum.
Ohlongo-ovatum, convexum, nigro-ceneum, palpis, antetinarum articuUs iamlibus pedibusqne fidvo-testaceis : capite ovato, octtlls modice convexis, sulcis frontalibus latis : thorace fere globoso, late rotundato, juxta basin constricto, ibique lateribus parallelis, aiigulis red is : elytris apice angustatis, striato-punctatis, interstitiis vix convexis, teriio punctis diiohis parvis ; striis exterioribus apice vix impressis.
Long. 2.i— 3 lin. $ ? .
(J. Tarsi antici, articulis diiobus dilatatis apice intus productis, primo oblongo, secundo farvo.
Allied to H. rofundicolle, caljipcplum, &c. Thorax much more strongly rounded, more constricted at the base, with hind angles more distinctly rectangular. It is also larger than the allied species, more convex and broader, the thorax being also larger in proportion to the whole insect. The colour of the upper surface is dark brassy, more or less cyaneous. The thoracic fovese, as in the rest of this small group, are feebly marked; long, narrow, and situated close to the hind margin near the angle. The elytra taper strongly just before the apex, and are there more or less testaceous. The strife are but feebly impressed, but the punctures are strong. The third interstice has only two small punctures. The first dilated joint of the male tarsi is much longer than in the allied species.
West Coast of Southern Island (C. M. Wakefield). I have also a specimen from Mr. H. Edwards, ticketed "Auckland."
Bembidium chalceipes.
B. anchonodero affine, at paullo latius, modice convexum, cuprascenti-cBueum : thorace fort iter rotundato, juxta basin fortiter angustato ; elytris punctato-striatis, striis paullitlum impressis, interstitiis j)lanis ; antennis articulo primo piceo ; pedibus ceneis. Long. 2j lin.
Closely allied to B. anclionoderum (Bates), having the same gene- ral proportions, i. e., the thorax is not so short relatively to the elytra
July, isrs.] 25
as in B. parviceps and Tairuense, and not so broadly- rounded, and relatively large, as in B. eustictum and orbiferum. The insect is also broader and flatter. In nearly all the specimens, the colour is dullish coppery-brown, with the head more greenish-brassy, and the antennas and legs metallic, except the basal joint of the antennae, and sometimes the tibiae, which are more or less reddish-pitchy. The thorax is slightly shagreened, and, as usual in this group, rather abruptly narrowed just before the base, where the sides, for a short distance, are straight and parallel. The striae of the elytra are very slightly impressed, but the punctures are very distinct, and are not wholly obliterated near the apex.
Typical examples of B. anchonodenim are only If liu. long.
West Coast, Southern Island (C. M. Wakefield).
Bembidium hokitikense.
B. anclionodei'o proxime affine ; dijfert colore nigro, thorace paulo latiori, striisque 3 — 7 apice eoanescentibus. Supra paulo convexum, nigrum, leviter ceneo- tmctum ; palpis, antennis, pedibusque nigris : thorace latiori, valde rotundato, juxta basin constricto ibique lateribus rectis, supra vix ruguloso ; elytris punctato-striatis, striis 3 — 7 ante apieem desinentibus, interstitiis paulo convexis. Lo7ig. 1^ lin.
Another of the numerous ill-defined species closely allied to B. anclionoderum. The colour of the two specimens taken by Mr. Wake- field is dull brassy-black, quite different from the brighter brassy tinge of anclionoderum. But the chief distinction lies in the broader form of the thorax, which is a conspicuous differentiating character, when the two species are compared side by side ; another good character ia offered by the smooth apical area of the elytra.
West Coast, South Island (C. M. Wakefield).
Pteeostichus (Teichosternus) aucklandicus.
lElongato-oblongus , thorace qudni elytris distincte angustiori ; capile magna, antice {cum mandibulisj elongato: viridi-aiieus, nitidus, elytris fusco-cBneis ; palpis antennisque rufo-piceis, pedibus piceis : thoracis margine aiitico arcuato-emar- giriato, niox pone angulos anticos leviter rotundato-dilatato, deinde gradatim, ante a>gulos posticos citius, sinuatim angustato, angulis rectis ; fovea ntrinque curvata valde prof unda : elytris elongato-ovatis, postice lafiorihus, supra prof inde ccqualiter striatis, striis fundo punctulatis, interstitiis pasaim convexis, tertio 3 vel 4-, septimo pluri-punctatis. Long. 9 — 11 lin., $ $ .
Variat colore saturate cupreo, ut in Tr. Australasise, Guer.
Distinguishable from Tr. Si/lrius and allies at once by its quite different form, due to relative narrowness of the thoi'ax, which is also longer, less rounded anteriorly, and more gradually narrowed to the base, its basal foveae are also deeper and more curved or branched.
2G [J"iy.
The head is much hirger, especially much longer in front of the eyes ; the mandibles and palpi being also longer. The elytra offer fewer points of diffei'ence ; the interstices, however, maintain their convexity to the apex. The antennae and palpi are reddish, and the legs dark pitchy-red in all the examples I have seen.
One example, from xlucliland, differs from the above description, in being of a dull purplish-copper hue, inclining to seneous on the Lead and thorax.
PtEEOSTICHFS (TRICHOSTEEXrs) TEMIJKENSIS.
Niger, supra fusco-cupreus, lateribiis interdum viridibiis ; pnlpis apice rujls : tliorace transversim quadraio, postice vix sinnatim angtistato, anyuUs posticis paido prominentibus ; elytris elongato-oblongis, pnnciato-striatis, interstitiis contexts, 3^°, 5'°, et '7''^^o paulo latioribus. Long. 83 lin.
Very closely allied to Tr. 81/lviiis, and probably only a local form of the same. Comparing half-a-dozen specimens of each species, Tr. tem?iJcensis, besides its more uniform and dusky -cupreous colour, appears rather more elongate and parallel-sided, and shows, in some examples, a conspicuous inequality in the width of the elytral inter- stices. But the most important and constant structural feature is in the curvature of the sides of the thorax ; this, instead of forming a rather deep sinuation posteriorly between the middle and the tip of the hind angles, continues nearly to the base, as in Tr. antarcficus, the angle being somewhat abruptly, and, to a less degree than in Tr. Sylcius, turned outwards. The head and front margin of the thorax are formed the same in both species.
Temuka (C. M. Wakefield).
Pteeostichtis (Trichostee^vus) Stltius.
Supra viridi-ceiieus rel cupreo-cenetts, marginihus viridibus, nitidus, palpis apice rujis : thorace transversim quadrafo, postice sinnatim angustato, angulis posticis prominentibus, acutis : elytris oblongis, jmnctato-striniis, interstitiis convexis, cequali- bits, tertio 3 vel A-, septimo pluri-pnnctato. Long. 9 lin.
Agrees with the description of Feronia {Tr.) rectangula (Chaud.) in every important respect, except in the hind angles of the thorax^ which, instead of being " exacte rectis," are decidedly projecting. This char- acter is constant in the six examples before me, and is corroborated by the shining metallic colour of the whole upper surface, head included ; Chaudoir giving as a speciality of Tr. rectanguJrt, " color paginse superioris minus nitidus, elytrorum dorso fere nigricante." Specimens agreeing with this description were taken by Mr. Wakefield, at Ean- giroa, whereas all his examples of Tr. Sylvius came from Peel Forest.
1878.] 27
T)\ Sylvius has the head of moderate size in both sexes, with prominent eyes, and very small, rapidly narrowed, posterior orbits. The thorax is arcuate-emarginate on the fore margin, with rounded anterior angles, quite as broad at the base as at the apex, and moderately dilate-rotundate at a short distance behind the anterior angles. The elj^tra are dentate at the humeral angles, the punctures in the striae are small and distinct, and the interstices become flatter towards the apex.
Peel Forest, S. Island (C. M. Wakefield).
Pteeostichus (Holcaspis) integratus,
Elongatus, niger, supra cuprescens ; thorace qtiadrato, inox ante hasinfortiter angustato, angulis acutis : elytris oblongo-ovatis, elongatis, striis vix punctulatis, om- nino integris, septima apicem versus fortius impressa. Long. 9 lin., <J $ .
Very closely allied to Pt. vagepunctatus (White); differing chiefly in the strisB not being interrupted, and in the 7th stria being deepened into a flexuous sulcus, extending from two-thirds its length to the apex. The elytra are rather more narrowed to the base, and consequently more oval than in Pt. vagepunctatus, and the hind femora of the ^ are not dilated on their under surface.
Holdtika and Lake Paroa (C. M. Wakefield).
Pteeostichus (Ehttisternus) puella, Chaud., Bull. Mosc, 1865,
No. 3, p. 4i. Captain Broun has recently sent examples of this Australian species from Tairua, both to Mr. Wakefield and Dr. Sharp, which bear the closest resemblance to specimens, with which I have compared them, from Queensland.
Anchomenus (Platyxus) otagoensis.
Elongatus, deplanatus, nigro-piceus, opacus ; antennis, palpis, pedibnsque omnino
melleo-fulvis : lahro late emarginato ; cello haud sulcata : thorace elongato-quadrato,
postice longe, sinuatim sed modice angustato, angulis posticis suiacutis ; supra im-
punctato, utrinqne linea ctirvata paulo impressa a hasifere ad marginem anticum
ducta : elytris plants, elongato-ovatis, prope apicem fortiter sinuatis, apice suturali
obtuso, sub truncal is ; supra subtiliter striatis, interstitiis plants.
Long. 5 lin., <? ? .
Allied to A. deplanatus (White), from which it is at once dis- tinguished by the tawny-yellow colour of antennae, palpi, and legs. Prom other allied species it is distinguishable by the form of the thorax, which is not at all strongly narrowed behind, but gradually and slightly, the anterior part of the sides being also gently rounded :
2S [J"iy,
tlie shallow lateral groove begins as a broad depression, with the basal fovea, and extends towards the front, gradually becoming narrower and fainter. The elytra are nearly plane, smooth, and opaque, regu- larly elongate-oval, with sharp lateral edges : the interstices are quite flat, and the three punctures of the 3rd very well marked. The labrum is broadly and distinctly emarginated. The mesosternal epimera are short and broad as in the sub-genus Plaft/nus. Otago.
CTo be continuedj.
NOTES REGARDING SOME RARE PAPILIONES. BY D. GREIG RUTHERrORD, F.L.S.
2. Papilio Homerl's, Fabr.
Originally described by Fabricius (Ent. Syst., iii, 1, 1793) from a drawing made by Jones, taken, according to Donovan (JS^at. Rep., i) from a specimen in the possession of Drury ; and in 1801 more fully described, and, for the first time, figured, by Esper in his " Aus- liindische Schmetterlinge," this splendid Pajoilio has, until within the last few years, been rarely met with in European collections. In England it has, I believe, been confined to those of the British Museum, the Hope Museum at Oxford, and that of the late Mr. W. C. Hewit- son. This is the more remarkable, since its habitat (Jamaica) has long been well known — has been frequently visited by naturalists, and in all directions traversed by English travellers who, we may readily conclude, would spare no pains to secure such a gorgeous and con- spicuous insect, if it came in their way.
P. Homerus has already been so well and so fully described by Godart in the " Encyclopedic Methodique," and by Boisduval in the first volume of his " Species Generales," that it is unnecessary for me to do more than supplement their work. This I am fortunately enabled to do from a comparison of a number of fine specimens recently re- ceived by my friend Mr. F. J. Horniman from Jamaica, the only region in which, so far as I can learn, this species has hitherto been found. My comparison results in the following addition to the descriptions referred to :
Upper surface of both pairs of wings varying from dark brown to deep black : transverse bands varying from a bright lemon colour to rich yellow. Apical spots usually five, sometimes all but the upper two suppressed. Lunules on hind wings generally five, various shades of vellow, orange, or bright red, often very faint, and in some ex-
1878.1 29
amples altogether absent ; usually distiuct and well marked in female. Inner margin o£ hind-wings of female at extremity of transverse band finely dusted with orange. Expanse, 5 — 6^ inches.
As illustrative of the habits and nature of the habitat of this species, I extract from a letter recently received from our correspon- dent in Jamaica, the following interesting account of the capture of the specimens now in the Surrey House Collection :
" I lost no time in trying to obtain news of the classical object of which I was in quest ; but, though there was a doctor who had been resident in the neighbourhood for fifteen years, and a clergyman who had also been stationed there for some time, neither had seen it, or could give me any information as to its havmts. One Negro boy of whom I enquired, informed me that it was found near a certain river. For this I accordingly started early one morning ; but though I searched in all directions and the likeliest places, I could find no trace of Homerus. At last, and just as I was beginning to despair of finding it, I caught sight of a fluttering mass of unusual proportions about twenty yards ahead of me, and presently recognised the object of my search. The difiiculty now was to catch it, for it was hovering round a mango tree on the bank of the river. I advanced cautiously, and, on my approach, it sheered off a little, but soon returned to a position within reach of my net, when, with one fortunate stroke, I secured my prize. I leave you to imagine my feelings when I found the glorious creature fluttering inside my net. For three successive days I wandered for miles up the same stream, seeing a specimen occa- sionally, but getting no chance of making a capture, and I reluctantly decided to try another part of the island. Before doing so, however, I made one more visit to the stream, along which I walked to a place where a waterfall came down the face of a very high rock, with a narrow gorge between. Here I rested, thinking what a paradise it ought to be for butterflies. Gigantic trees quite overshadowed the river, and the undergrowth was rank and luxuriant. Presently, to my great delight, I saw, just above my head, a mass of blue and gold sailing gracefully along : then another ; and, after going a little w^ay, one wheeled round and came up the bank low down, just hovering over the leaves for a second, but before he could fly further I had him safe in my net ; and ere I left that place, I had succeeded in capturing several fine specimens.
" Regarding the habits of this species, I observed that few speci- mens were on the wing before noon. T\\ey then all come doivn the river (chiefly on the same side), hover over leaves of trees, principally
30 'J^'y-
the mango, rarely or never settle, and about 3 p.m. begin to come up the stream, when they gradually disaj)pear. Every one 1 secured was captured on the wing. I never saw them alight on flowei'S ; but, on two occasions, I saw one settle on the top of a mango tree. Its mode of flight is very deceptive, appearing to be slow, but, in reality, is very rapid. It is fearless, if one remains perfectly quiet, but the slightest movement will cause it to swerve in its flight. I tried very hard to discover the caterpillar, and offered rewards to the natives for it, but my efforts were fruitless."
The extraordinary fact of such a large and strongly winged but- terfly capable, one would think, of long and sustained flight from one region to another, being confined to such a small area as that comprised by Jamaica, is highly significant, in view of some of the problems raised by the subject of the geographical distribution of species. The large majority of Lepidojytera, we know, are dependant for their range of distribution upon that of the plants upon which their cater- pillars feed ; and while, in the case of a widely distributed species, we argue either a corresponding extension of its food plant, or a capability of adapting itself to more than one kind of plant, we naturally infer, when we find another species confined to a small area, that it is so restricted because its food plant does not extend beyond the same region. It is a well known fact, that many of the older foi-ms of plant life, unable to adapt themselves to recent climatic changes, have gra- dually narrowed their range of distribution, and already show signs of becoming extinct. If we suppose the case of a plant at one time distributed over a large area, and furnishing food for a given species of butterfly, gradually yielding to adverse influences until it becomes confined to one locality in which alone it found the conditions favour- able to its existence, the butterfly, unless it had been able to find food elsewhere, would suffer a corresponding restriction and diminution in numbers until it at last quite died out. This would be pre-eminently the case with such species as originated during a period when the physical conditions of a given region were different from what they are at present. I am inclined to regard P. Somerus as an illustration of this general law, and feel convinced that when its food plant is known, it will prove to be not only one of the rarest but also one of the oldest forms of the flora of the "West Indies. In the extract given above, the mango is mentioned as one of the plants to which P. Ho- merus shows a preference, and it may occur to some that this may be the food plant of the species. This, however, is hardly probable, as the m.TUgo ha? bepn introduced into Jamaica only within very recent
1878] m
times. Like, mauy other species of Lepidoptcra, P. Homerus is, doubtless, attracted to the mango by the sweet juices exuded from its fruit soon after its becoming ripe.
Nearly allied to but one species, viz., P. Andr<smo7i, found as yet only in Hayti, Cuba, and some parts of Mexico, P. Homerus, although exhibiting most of the characteristics peculiar to similar forms common to Central America and the West Indies, is yet so distinct from them all, that it seems to occupy a position quite unique in the group to which it is referred. Reasoning from the analogies presented by other insular species and varieties of Lepidoptera, I am strongly of opinion that P. Homerus is a survival of some group of Papiliones once largely disti-ibuted throughout Central America at a time when the region now occupied by the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea formed part of the Mainland.
SuiTPj House, Forest Hill : June, 1878.
LIST OF THE HEMIPTERA OF NEW ZEALAND.
BY F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S.
{Continued from Vol. xix,}). 277).
Tribe LTG.^ODEA. Of this tribe or section Captain Hutton mentions five and Mr. Butler four New Zealand species. Of these five, I have seen Ncwr Zealand specimens of two only, but I am able to add nine other spe- cies, one of them, however, being possibly identical with one of
Walker's species.
Family BERTTID.E.
14). Neides JVakefieldl, n. sp.
Pale testaceous, coarsely punctate above and below ; the sides of the head and of the prostethiura with a longitudinal brown line ; the last joint of the antennae and the apex of the tibiae and of the tarsi ferruginous-brown. The apical lamina of the head cylindrical, straight, gradually narrowed to an obtuse point, and reaching far beyond the apex of the head ; the anteocular part of the head sub-equal to the postocular ; the antennae two-thirds the length of the body ; pronotum rather flat, with sub-parallel sides and a longitudinal keel, the length less than double the breadth behind ; elytra much abbreviated, and only one-fifth the length of the abdo- men, immaculate ; legs and antennae (especially the front femora and basal joint of antennae) witli small black tubercles in rows.
Length, 7 — 8 mm. ; breadth, scarcely 1 mm.
Wellington (Wakefield); several specimens.
It is very probable that this is an apterous form of a dimorphic species — dimorphism being not unfrequent in this family, though the species are rarely so brachypterous as in this instance.
:j2 •'"'>■•
Family LTG^ID.E.
15. Lygceus (Spilostethus) paciflcus, Boisd. This I Lave not seen. It
occurs also in Tasmania and Australia.
16. Arocattis riiJicoUis (= Lygceus rujtcollis, Walker).
Though the description of Lygceus ruficollis, Wlk. (which Mr. Butler I. c. says is "not a Lygceus''''), does not altogether tally with my specimens, I have little doubt but that they belong to that species. The type specimen is evidently (from the description) a dark example, for usually the red markings are much more extensive, the clavus and interior and apical margins of the corium, as well as the apex of the scutellum and base of the pronotum, being generally of that colour. It is allied to A. rusticus, Stal, an Australian species.
Common. Messrs. Broun, Hutton, and Wakefield.
17. Nysiiis zealmidicus, Dallas. " "
The teeth on the hind margin of the pronotum are often nearly or quite obsolete.
Common. Messrs. Broun, Hutton, and Wakefield.
18. N. Huttoni, n. sp.
Obovate, greyish -testaceous, with grey liubeseence and coarse fuscous punctures ; head rather finely punctate, black, the vertex and the antennae reddish-brown, the outside of the 1st joint of the antennae, the 2nd and 3rd towards the apex, and the 4th darker ; pronotum with a transverse band near the front margin, a central lon- gitudinal band abbreviated before and behind, the sides, and some spots within the hind angles, irregularly black, as is almost all the scutellum except the extreme apex. Elytra streaked more or less with black, the extreme front margin and three spots more or less confluent on the apical margin, always fuscous-black ; membrane whitish, spotted with fuscous at the base ; legs yellow-testaceous, spotted (especially the femora) and punctured with black ; the 1st and 2nd joints of the tarsi at the base, and the whole of the 3rd, fuscous-black ; body below black marked with yellow. Head sub-equal in length to the pronotum, and with the eyes somewhat broader than the apex of the latter ; the bucculae not reaching the base of the head, si^arcely decreasing in height backwards and suddenly ending, about equal to the 1st joint of the rostrum ; rostrum reaching the hind coxae ; 1st joint of the antennae much, and the 2nd a little, longer than the 3rd. Scutellum with a triradiate eleva- tion in the middle. Elytra sub-parallel at the base, then dilated and reflexed along the front margin. c? ? . Length, 3i — 4 mm. ; breadth. If mm.
In the structure of the bucculse, iV! Huttoni is allied to N. margi- nalis, Dall. It is also allied to N. thymi, Wolff, and N. coenosulus, Stal ; but it is broader than the first, and differs Irom the second by the shape of the bucculte, pronotum, &c. It varies somewhat in the intensity of the dark markings.
Messrs. Hutton and Wakefield.
1878.] 33
19. i\r. anceps, n. sp.
Oblong, brownish-testaceous variegated with black, with grey pubescence and coarse punctures. A yellowish band runs through the basal half of the head to the apex of the scutellum ; the centre of the elypeus and a larger spot on each side reddish-brown ; the upper margins of the orbit yellowish. Antennae pitchy-brown, the inside of the 1st joint (except at the apex), a broad baud in the middle of the 2nd, and the apex of the 3rd, pale reddish-brown. Yeins of the elytra pitchy-brown. Legs yellow-testaceous, a broad band on the upper side of the femora, rows of spots on the femora and tibiae, the base of the 1st and 2nd joints of the tarsi, and the whole of the 3rd joint, pitchy-black. Upper surface of the abdomen with a broad central band, and on the three basal segments a narrower and interrupted band on each side black ; under side of the body blackish-fuscous, with paler bands and spots. Head and pronotum sub-equal in length, the head with the eyes a httle broader than the apex of the pronotum ; 2nd joiut of the antennae longer than the 3rd, which is sub-equal to the 4th. Bucculae as long as the gula, gradually disappearing behind and not reaching the base of the head ; 1st joint of the rostrum a little shorter than the bucculae, the apex of the last joint reaching the middle coxae. Sides of the pronotum sub-parallel, diverging a little behind, the front angles with a small sharp tooth. Elytra abbreviated, scarcely covering the base of the abdomen, the front margin somewhat rounded, the membrane rudimentary.
Length, 5—5^ mm., breadth, 2 mm.
iV^. anceps is perhaps the type of a new genus, but, in the mean- time, I have kept it in Nijsius. Possibly it may have a macropterous form.
Two specimens taken by Mr. Wakefield.
Family PACHYMEEID.^.
20. Plociomerus Douglasi, Buch. White.
Captain Broun.
21. Pamera ni(]ricej)s, Dallas. "New Zealand," Mayr (Novara Hemi-
ptera) .
This species so very much resembles the last, that I have, with some hesitation, suggested (Ann. N. H., May, 1878) that possibly the two may have been confounded, a not very improbable occurrence, if Dr. Mayr had only the original description of P. nif/riceps (made when it alone of the two was known) to guide him. I have seen no New Zealand specimens of this sjiecies, which is common at Honolulu and elsewhere.
Bhyparochrovius inornatus, Walker (B. M. Cat., v. 112. 196), seems, from the description, to be either this species or No. 20. It is referred to '^ t}ie grou'^ Scolopostethus,'' but it is certainly not the species described hereafter (No. 26).
34 LJ»l.v,
METAGERRA, n. ff.
Body oblong. Head triangular, equilateral, immersed to the eyes, aud with them rather broader thau the apex of the pronotum. Ros- trum reaching the middle coxse, and the 1st joint attaining the base of the head. Autennje about half as long as the body, the 1st joint reach- ing beyond the apex of the head. Pronotum rather broader than long, slightly convex, and with a slight transverse depression before the hind margin ; front margin one-third shorter than the hind margin, both concave ; side margins keeled and sub-i-eflexed, nearly straight, but rounded in front. Scutcllum longer than broad. Elytra with abbreviated membrane (always '?). Legs mediocre ; femora (especially the front pair) thickened ; front femora with one small spine and some obscure tubercles near the apex below ; tibiae straight ; basal joint of the hind tarsi as long as the last two joints together. Hind margin of 3rd ventral segment curved forward at each side, and not reaching the margin of the body.
Allied to Rhyparochromus and Sfi/gnocoris.
22. J/, ohscura, n. sj).
Dull clicstiuit-brown, the two basal joints of the antennae, rostrum and legs (especially the tibitB and tarsi), paler ; pronotum with a spot in the middle of the front margin, the reflexed side margins, the hind angles, and some spots on the hind lobe, the scutellum with a spot on each side behind the disc, whitish-brown ; rostrum at the tip, pronotum with an obscure fascia within front margin, an obscure central line, and a spot on each side of the centre of the hind lobe, scutellum with a central band from the middle to the apex, corium with a streak in the middle of the apical margin, as well as the tarsi-claws, blackish ; clavus and corium obscurely variegated with paler and darker, and with dark punctures ; membrane fuscous, with pale streaks. Antennae with the 1st joint thickened upwards, the 2nd more slender but also thickened upwards, the 3rd and 4th stoutish and fusiform ; pronotum with the hind lobe very short and remotely punctured, hind angles truncate, hind margin concave in front of the scutellum ; scutellum punctured ; elytra with rows of punctures, the clavus with three rows ; membrane very short, leaving nearly one-quarter of the abdomen uncovered. tJ $ . Length, 3^ mm. ; breadth, 1^ mm.
Two specimens taken by Mr. Wakefield. Doubtless a macro - pterous form occurs.
{To be continued.)
OrthotyU ni'dh green cell-nerves. — Being about to describe the Cyllecoraria of Europe, I beg the British Entomologists to collect during this summer especially specimens of the many OrthotyU which occur in their country. These species are not yet sufficiently elucidated, and it is necessary to compare many individuals of both sexes before we can surely characterize them. I shall be very much obliged to the Hemipterists who will have the kindness to communicate to me specimens of the above named species, with information relative to the trees on which they live. — O. M. Reutee, Helsingfors : June Itk, 1878.
1878.] 35
desckiptiojV of a new species of coedulegastek from
costa kica.
BY R. McLACHLAN, F.R.S., &c.
The fine new Dragon-Fly described below was taken by Mr. H. Rogers on the volcano known as Mt. Ii'azu (at an elevation of between 6000 and 7000 feet), and was sent home by him to Messrs. Salvin and Godman. I examined three i^ and one $ .
COEDULEaASTER GODMANI, 11. sp.
Occiput brown, with a crest of blackish hairs : back of the head (behind tlie ejes) jellow. Front brown (black about the ocelli), above ciliated with black ; the ex- cavated superior portion darker, almost blackish. Nasus yellow, slightlj brownish in the middle. Ehinarium dark brown or fuscous. Labrum yellow, slightly brownish on the sides. Labium and palpi yellow.
Body black. Thorax clothed with yellowish-grey hairs ; above with two cu- neiform yellow stripes, broadest posteriorly ; sides with two narrow oblique yellow bands, the lower the broader, the intermediate band indicated by two widely separated yellow spots (most conspicuous in the ?). Legs black; femora piceous externally (excepting at the tips). Abdomen brownish at the base ; second segment with a complete yellow ring, very narrow on the middle above, joining and including the oreillettes in the $ , becoming gradually broader and very oblique on the sides in the $ , the posterior margin of this segment above with two yellow transverse spots widely separated, and the margins of the genital suture are broadly yellow ; 3rd to 7th segments with a narrow median yellow ring, interrupted on the middle above, on the 3rd to 5th there are also two widely separated postei-ior yellow spots; 8th with a broad complete yellow median ring, expanding on the sides posteriorly ; 10th with a narrower complete basal yellow ring.
Appendages of the S black : the superior scarcely so long as the 10th segment, somewhat dolabriform, the apical edge very oblique ; beneath they are furnished with two teeth, one basal, triangular and rather large, the other ante-median, smaller, and slightly hook-shaped : inferior appendages nearly quadrate, slightly narrower in front, the apex excised. In the ? the vulvar horns are piceous, and extended somewhat beyond the apex of the abdomen.
Wings hyaline, strongly tinged with brownish in the very adult <? , and then slightly yellowish at the extreme base (more conspicuously so in the ? ); costal edge finely yellowish outwardly ; pterostigma narrow (4 mm. long), black; raembranule pale cinereous, 19 — 21 ante-cubital, and 14 — 16 post-cubital nervules in the anterior- wings.
Length of abdomen, <? , 55 mm. ; ? , 58 mm. Length of posterior-wing, ^ , 45 mm. ; ? , 50 mm.
In the very adult $ (and also in the ^ ) the yellow markings of the abdomen are apparently sometimes nearly obliterated.
Among American species this should come nearest to C. maculatus and C. diadema, but is abundantly distinct from either in the character of the markings.
Lewisham : June, 1878.
36 [July,
Change of generic names. — In vol. xiii, p. 23, of this Magazine, I described a new Coleopterous insect from New Zealand and called it Camirus convexus. I find the word Camira has already been used for a genus of Coleoptera, and I therefore propose to alter the word Camirus into Camiariis, so as to differentiate it sufficiently from the pre-existing Camira.
Epistrophus (mihi, Ann. Nat. Hist., xviii, p. 22) must also be changed, on account of Epistrophus, Kirsch. (Berl. Ent. Zeit., 1868), and I propose to call the Colydiid insect Epistranus Lawsoni. — D. Sharp, Thornhill, Dumfries : June 14//*, 1878.
Strange locality for Anohium panioeum. — Lord Arthur Russell has brought to my notice a curious instance of that adaptability in this insect, wliich accounts so easily for its abundance and wide distribution. Ten years ago, he bought a parcel of powdered Orris root at the well known Convent of Sta. Maria Novella at Florence, where the nuns sell various articles for toilet purposes. This parcel was accidentally unopened until now, and was found to have afforded a pasturage and breeding-ground for many generations of the beetle, which swarmed in it. My first introduction to it in any quantity was in a Medical Lecture Room in the Strand, where it had estab- lished a colony in a human skeleton, which had been dried with the ligaments left on.— E. C. Rye, 70, Charlewood Road, Putney, S.W. : June loth, 1878.
Observations respecting Phalcsna Stratonice of Cramer. — In the 21st part of the "Tijdschrift voor Entomologie," recently published, there is a paper by P. C. T. Snellen upon P. Stratonice of Cramer. The author states that in February of last year he obtained a pair of Japanese moths from Mr. Heine, which reminded him greatly of Vithora indrasana, of Moore, as represented in the figure (P. Z. S., 1865, pi. 42, f. 5), and also (excepting in the structure of the body) of Cramer's Phalcena Stratonice.
Knowing how frequently broken specimens of insects are mended up with the bodies, antennae, &c., of other species, he was " inclined to suspect a similar deception " in this instance, but before concluding this to be the case, he induced Mr. C. " Ritsema, the ever-obliging Curator of the insect-room in the National Museum at " Leiden, to see if specimens of P. Stratonice existed in the Museum, and to let him " know what kind of antennae they had." The following was Mr. Ritsema's reply : " The Museum possesses two examples of Ph. Stratonice, Cramer, both possessing only " the left antenna, whilst in one also the abdomen is wanting. The other example " seems to me, or, rather, I am certain of it, to be a female.* The antennae of both " at first sight seem to be like one another : slender at the base, slowly growing " thicker towards the end, and, as it seems to me, provided near the end of the "joints with some fine little hairs. f Cramer seems, to judge by the strongly combed " antennae, to have figured a male." Mr. Snellen then examined his moths, and finding that one of his specimens was a male, he concluded that the antennas of Cramer's original were false.
After recording the above possible fact, Mr. Snellen goes on to criticize the view held by recent Lepidopterists of the affinities of Vithora (which he now considers congeneric with Ph. Stratonice) , and states his opinion that it is nearly allied to
* Evidently from the width of the abdomen, t Just the same as in Vilhora i/iarasaiw., Moore
1878 ] 37
Abraxas, Pantlierodes, and Rhyparia, conclucling with a few remarks upon the modern views of protective resemblances, in which he mentions the fact that I named the common Japanese moth Vithora agrionides, in the " Annals and Maga- zine " for 1875, and he says : " moreover, he informs us that it ' mimics Fhalcena " Stratonice, Cramer ! ' without clearly informing us whether he grounds this con- " elusion on objects like what Cramer represents, or only upon the figure."
In my description of Vithora agrionides, I do not anywhere say that it mimics P. Stratonice, but that it " resembles Cystidia Stratonice, Cramer, excepting in the " body ;" and I add, in a foot-note, " Cystidia is probably a mimic of Vithora :" this I still believe to be the case ; for, although I have examined many examples of Vithora agrionides, and have not hitherto seen Cramer's insect, it is well-known that in most instances of mimicry, the pattern is by far more numerous in individuals than the copy, so that thei'e is every probability that the species will yet come.
If there were no other differences but tliose which Cramer figures and describes in the body of his species, I should still hold that Vithora belonged to a distinct family ; but the pattern of the wings, though very similar, differs as much as in any of the numerous parallel species of the genera Heliconiiis and Melinaa amongst the butterflies.
I cannot for a moment agree with Mr. Snellen as to the afiiuities of Vithora, the antennae alone would at once decide their position to be in the family AgaristidcB ; nor is there any reason (excepting that in colour, it nearly agrees with one or two species of Abraxas,* which are mimickers of it) for referring it to the Zerenidce : the whole structure of the body is essentially that of Agarista, and the veining of the wings is quite normal. — A. Gr. Butlee, British Museum : May, 1878.
Description of the larva of JSubolia bipunctaria. — On August 6th, 1875, I re- ceived eggs of this species from Mr. A. E. Hudd, of Clifton, Bristol. They were globular, very glossy, with a semi-translucent appearance ; pale straw-colour. Before hatching, which event took place on the 20th of the same month, they changed to lead-colour, but still retained their glossy character. The newly emerged larvffi were slate-colour, the head brown. They fed on the common white Dutch clover until autumn, when they hibernated, feeding again in the following spring. By June the 8th, they were nearly full-grown, when I took the following description : — Length, about an inch, and stout in proportion ; head rather narrower than the second seg- ment, rounded at the sides, but the face somewhat flat ; there is a slight notch on the crown. Body roughly cylindrical, and of nearly uniform width throughout, tapering only a very little towards the anal extremity ; segmental divisions well marked, and each segment is also divided by transverse ribs into numerous sections ; trapezoidal tubercles raised, each emitting a short hair.
Ground colour of the dorsal area pale yellowish-grey with slight green tinge ; head very pale yellowish-brown, dotted and freckled with darker brown. Dorsal stripe conspicuous, dark green, on each side of it is another much narrower, and con- sequently less distinct line, of the same colour ; there is also a rather indistinct double line above the spiracles : spiracles rust-colour, each followed anteriorly by an intensely black dot ; tubercles also black. The ground of the ventral surface is much
* Can Mr. Snellen have got the Abraxas instead of the Vithora ? Compare Felder's figure (Reise der Nov. Lep., pi. cxxix, fig. 29; ; this species occurs also in Japan, and is not uncommon. —A. G. B.
3S LJuly,
darker Umn the dorsal area, being a pinkish-brown shade ; extending throughout its entire length is a broad stripe of still darker brown, and within this stripe is a double central yellow line. On segments 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 is a double series of large black marks placed within the broad central stripe, but outside, and on each side the double yellow inner line : pro-legs brown on the outside, this colour being very notice- able on the anal claspers.
The pupa is about five-eighths of an inch long, smooth, the thorax and abdominal segments polished, the wing-cases duller. It is uniform and cylindrical, but sharply attenuated towards the anal point. Colour almost uniformly bright brown, the anal point, segmental divisions, and eye-cases darker. The first imago emerged July 26tli. — Geo. T. Porritt, Highroyd House, Huddersfield : June Uh, 1878.
Description of the larva of Crambus contaminellaa. — Towards tlie end of May, 1877, while turning over a stone on muddy earth near a sea-bank, I chanced to find a small larva, which I brought home together with part of a little rigid tuft of grass that was growing close to the stone. The larva was evidently a Cramius of a species I had not before seen, and seemed near moulting ; a few days later, having accom- plished its moult within a slight web it had spun around itself and attached to the grass, it began to feed well on the grass, and to fashion its dwelling with more silk into a complete tubular form, and to cover it with frass.
After watching its progress a little, it was not very difiicult to find a few more, the only real difficulty seemed to consist in finding stones in similar places not already tenanted by ants or other predaceous creatures. However, on the 11th of June fol- lowing, I fell in with an occasional stone or two that rested on or close to small tufts of Poa maritima and Borreri, which were, so to say, tenanted by one of these larvae, •and in one instance by two of them. When these stones were turned over the tubular gallery, though of no great length, was readily seen attached to tlie lower whitish sheaths of the grass towards the roots, being conspicuous, however small, by its co- vering of fine greenish frass, or frass and fine grains of earth together, or else partly spun against the stone itself, the sudden removal of which tore open the gallery and the surprised larva dropped out.
These larvse throve very well in confinement on growing tufts of the same species of grass planted in a pot, with some of the muddy soil, and surrounded with a few small stones, amongst which they constructed their galleries, and when full-fed con- verted them into very tough cocoons smoothly lined with brownish-grey silk, and externally coated with fine earth and frass.
The moths, and a couple of ichneumons, were bred from July 17th to August 7th.
This season I have again found a few of the larvae, and have been able to verify and extend last year's observations, so that I can now say in early spring the larva is not more than three-sixteenths of an inch long, the body of an earthy reddish-brown with darker bvown head, the spots and plates of the same colour as the body but contrasting by their gloss alone. After each moult the colour becomes greyer as they advance in growth, and when full grown the larva measures a little more than three- fourths of an inch in length, and is moderately slender, yet the segments have a cer- tain characteristic plumpness in detail from their being well defined, and each sub-divided with a deep transverse wrinkle between the trapezoidal spots of the back ; the rather I'ounded head is a trifle less than the second segment, which is long in
1878.] 39
propoi'tion, and the body tapers a little just towards the hinder part : in colour the head is grevish-brown marked with blackish-brown, the plate behind it is similar, and both shining ; the body lightish dull earthy-grey with a rather darker dorsal line, the spots lightish brown and glossy, the larger trapezoidal pairs transversely roundish-ovate, the smaller pairs rather linear and each encompassed with a faintly paler outline ; a row of somewhat tri-lobed spots along the side, and under them the small round black spiracles, and beneath them again other rows of paler and longi- tudinally ovate spots ; every spot having within it, nearer the outer margin than the middle, a small black dot bearing a fine hair : on the front part of the thirteenth segment the two spots are united into one larger than usual, a few minute dark dots are on the shining anal plate ; the ventral and anal legs tipped with brown hooks.
Yarieties occur with dark brown heads, and plates on the second segment ; but principally towards the last (when about to pupate) these parts and the anal plate grow darker, and the rest of the body lighter of a dirty yellowish tint.
The cocoon, constructed as before described, is of a somewhat oval figure, its longer diameter about five-eighths of an inch, and shorter diameter one-fourth- The pupa is a little over three-eighths of an inch in length, and one-eighth in diametei* at the thickest part, its form is quite ordinary though the wing-covers are rather long in proportion, and from them the abdomen tapers to abluntish rounded-off tip ; it is of a warm brown colour, and glossy, with the abdominal tip blackish-brown. — • William Bucklee, Emsworth : Jane bth, 1878.
Capture of Argi/rolepia (or EvpcecJlia) MussehJiana near Pembroke.— On the 2Vth ultimo, when I was examining a patch of Genista tinctoria, for larvee feeding in the shoots, a small EupceciUa started up and was secured. It belonged evidently to the group which includes Geyeriana and udana, but I could not then identify it. The ground was almost covered with Inula dysenterica, so notulana might reasonably be expected, but this insect was too yellow and too glossy. By long and hai'd work in the afternoon I secured three more, and on examining them at home was astonished and delighted to find that I had re-discovered the long-lost Mussehliana (see ante, vol. xi, p. 133).
I know of no record of its occurrence in this country since Weaver took his few specimens in Devonshire many years ago. Some of these were placed in Mr. Doubleday's collection, and I expect Mr. Allis had, and partially distributed, the rest.
It does not now intend, I fear, to become a common species, for I have seized every available opportunity of looking for it since, with but very limited success. — Chas. Gt. Baeeett, Pembroke : June IQth, 1878.
On the distinctive characters of Penthina po^tremana, Z. — In the June No. (p. 14) Mr. Hodgkinson very briefly recorded his discovery of the larva of Penthina postremana, Zell., in the stems of wild balsam and the rearing of the perfect insects ; but I think a few further particulars may be of interest, especially as the species, from its secluded locality in Cumberland, cannot well be of recent introduction, but is most likely an ancient inhabitant, perhaps far more widely distributed in this country in the (good) old times of undrained marshes and fens and extensive morasses than it now is. It is one of the most beautiful species in the genus, and a short description may be useful.
40 [July.
Al. esp. 7i lines. Head pale yellow ; antennfE and eyes black ; thorax black, marbled ■with yellow ; abdomen gi'ey ; fore-wings long, rather pointed at the apex, and of pretty uniform width, ground colour pale yellow almost obliterated by grey and bluish scales ; basal blotch angulated, shining blue-black ; central fascia black, strongly angulated outwards and faintly interrupted, beyond this fascia an elongated black triangular spot on the dorsal margin of the wing extends beyond the middle, and at its apex joins an oblique black blotch which reaches the hind margin : at the apex of the wing is a round black spot edged with blue lines. The spaces between these markings are filled in with a marbling of glossy blue, grey, and orange, except before the apex, where the usual black and silvery streaks are visible in the pale ground colour, and at the anal angle, where is a conspicuous somewhat square yellowish-ivhite spot, including that part of the cilia. The remainder of the cilia blue-black with two yellow spots or dashes in the middle. Hind-wings dark grey, darkest at the margin, cilia pale grey.
The larva, with its habit of feeding and hibernating in the stems of Impatiens noli-me-tangere, is described by Von Heyden (Stett. Ent. Zeit., 1865, p. 378), and it appears that Miihlig has recorded the rearing of the allied Penthina fuligana from the same plant, but it does not seem impossible that Herr Miihlig may have made some mistake as to the species reared by him, both hecB,\i.se fuligana is well known to feed in the roots of various species of Stachys, and because from this circumstance it ap- pears to have been confounded with nigricostana. Haw., which has similar habits.
When I wrote some notes on these species {vide vol. ix, p. 129) I did not feel satisfied about some German specimens sent by Professor Zeller under the name of Remyana. He afterwards sent me a type oi fuligana, Hiib., by which I was able to satisfy myself that it (and two of the supposed Remyana') were really identical with specimens taken in Surrey, although the dark markings were much less intense in colour. These Surrey specimens were carbonana, Dbld., = ustulana. Haw., and their coincidence confirmed Wocke's correction of the name ^o fuligana, Hiib. This species is the smallest of our PenthincB, but is sufiiciently like postremana to make it desi- rable that the points of distinction should be pointed out. The male is but 6 lines in expanse, but large females sometimes reach 8 lines. In the males the fore-wings are rounded, but in the females, altliough the apex is rounded, it and the anal angle are slightly dilated, so that the hinder part of the wing is broad and peculiar in shape. The markings are very obscure, consisting of a black strongly angulated basal blotch, a narrow irregular central fascia, from which is a curved projection outwards below the middle, a triangle at the anal angle and several streaks across the apex, all black. Ground colour apjDarently whitish, almost totally sufPused with bluish-grey, or steely, scales. Cilia entirely dark grey. This description applies well to both Continental and South English specimens, but some specimens reared by Lord Walsingham from roots of Stachys palustris, from Wicken Fen, present singular variations. These varia- tions are in the greater or less partial absence of the suffusion of bluish-grey scales, some specimens showing the white ground colour pretty plainly, while one shows the close alliance of the species with the normal Penthina by having the apical third of the wing almost entirely white. But in all these the markings, when visible, agree closely with typical y«(//$raHa, and in all the cilia are entirely dark grey.
The two species may therefore be easily separated : — postremana having the apex of the fore-wings pointed and the dark cilia with one blotch and two spots pale
1878. 41
yellow ; vfhU.eJ'iinc/ana has rounded fore-wiugs and dark grey cilia. But the most conspicuous character is the square pale yellow blotch at the anal angle m postremana. —Id. : June lOth, 1878.
Aaheroniia Atropos in the County Cork. — I have to record the appearance and capture of a specimen of A. Atropos at the same place (viz., Schull) as before chroni- cled {vide vol. xiv, p. 158, ante). This specimen was captured at 9.30 on the evening of June 8th last, and is now in my possession. — William W. Flemtng, The Vicarage, Glengariff, Co Cork : June Hth, 1878.
The Scandinavian Psyllida. — In the 8th fasciculus of his " Opuscula Entomo- logica " (1877), Professor C. Gr. Thomson gives, more suo, a Synopsis of the Scandinavian Psyllidce under the title of " Ofversigt af Skandinaviens Chermes- arter," reverting to the name Chermes, under which Linne, in 1742, characterized this Section of the Homoptera, and to which Greoffroy, in 1762, applied the name Psylla, rejecting Linue's name as erroneously used, because Chermes, in ancient time, designated the insect which afforded the famous Tyrian dye {Coccus ilicis, Lin.) ; and there is no doubt that, on the ground of priority, Thomson is right in his restoration, though, on the other hand, most authors have followed Geoffroy. Thomson's object in this article is, he says, partly to recapitulate Zetterstedt's species, and partly to divide the Section into small natural groups by means of characters never before utilized for this purpose, namely, the form of the head, pro- notum, elytra, and posterior coxas. As to genera, he adopts — Trioza (with Tricho- psylla as a new sub-genus for T. Wal&eri); Chertnes vice Psylla (with, as sub-genus, Atctnia vice Aryicena for C. genista, and Psylla for the other species) ; Aphalara, Phinocola and Livia. To Zetterstedt is given the credit of having first pointed out the essential character of the neuration of the elytra as of the greatest importance both in distinguishing species and in grouping them.
In Trioza 11 species are enumerated: — Walkeri,Yoevst.; galii, Yoerst.; obliqua, n. sp. (near albiventris) ; dryohia, Flor; aculipennis, Zett., = Jemoralis, Mor ; striola, Flor ; nigricornis, Foerst. ; urticce, Lin. ; viridula, Zett. ; proxima, Flor ; and hypoleuca, n. sp. (near obliqua).
In Chermes are 24 species: — genistce, Latr., = spartii, Hartig ; fraxiniy Lin. ; fra.vinicola, Foerst. ; sorli, Lin.; fuscula, Zett., = alpina, Yoevst., ^ per- spicillata, Flor; buxi, Lin. ; alni, Lin., ^ Heydeni, Foerst., =fuscinerms, Foerst.; Foersteri, Flor, = viridis, Hartig, ^ alni, Foerst.; betulcB, Lin.; Zetterstedti, n. sp. (very like salicicola in colour, rather smaller than betulce) ; lutea, Thoms., =: saliceti, Flor {nee Foerst.) ; quercus, Lin., = costato-punctata, Foerst., = annu- Ucornis, Boh. ; puncticosta, n. sp. (very like quercus, but much lai'ger and more obscure in colour) ; pyri, De Greer (hitherto attributed to Linne) ; MjaZ/, Foerst. (Low cites Schmidberger as the older authority for this name) ; annellata, n. sp. (like mali^ but differing in the neuration and the genitalia) ; nigrita, Zett., = pulchra, Zett. ; elegantula, Zett. ; obliqua, n. sp. (like the preceding, but differing in the neuration and the genitalia) ; Sartigi, Flor, = sylvicola, Eeut. (Renter cites Lethierry) ; microptera, n. sp. (like obliqua in form, and salicicola in the genitalia) ; pruni, Scop, j saliceti, Foerst. ; and salicicola, Foerst.
'1.2 [July,
In Aphalara 6 species : — exilis, Ljungli (otherwise attributed to Weber and Mohr) ; affinis, Zett. ; caltJicB, JAn., ^= picta, Zett. ; nervosa, Foerst. ; artemisice, Foerst. ; graminis, Lin., = nebulosa, Zett., = radiata, Scott.
In HhinocoJa 2 species : — averis, Lin. ; ericce, Curt., = callunce, Boh. In Livia 1 species: — juncorum, Zett. (more properly Latr.). Chermes sorbi, quercus, calthcB, and graminis, of Linne, have puzzled eveiy one for more than a century, and yet they are here referred to as a matter of course. When a species can be undoubtedly referred to the description of an old author his name ought certainly to be adopted, but it is not stated on what evidence the con- clusions have been arrived at with regard to these species so long hidden from recognition.
Chermes soi-hi, Lin. : Thomson's description fairly agrees with Linne's.
„ quercus, Lin., has " 4 brown spots on the anterior margin and one on the interior margin of the elytra": — Thomson's is "orange spotted with white ; elytra hyaline with pale nerves," — and not a word about brown spots. „ culthce, Lin. : Thomson says, = picta, Zett., but Reutcr gives folygoni, Foerst., as the only synonym, and enumerates picta, Zett., as a distinct species. „ graminis, Lin., has " pedes non saltatorii," which would at least make it doubtful if it were one of the PsyUidcB at all, but this is not noticed by Thomson, who gives it as = nehiilosa, Zett., = radiata, Scott ; which last species, at any rate, does not accord with Thom- son's words " elytris fere ut in A. exili nebulosis." One cannot but admire the wonderful succinctness of Thomson's diagnoses, but it is doubtful if they are sufficient to differentiate new species, especially if the par- ticular species, with which comparison is made, is not before the student ; and no dimensions are given. Neither are the plants on which the insects are found, nor the times of their appearance mentioned, both being possibly due to the fact, stated by the author, that he has rarely collected any of the species himself ; but they are serious deficiencies for all who would desire to cnpture them. The authors who have described species of PsylUdcB since the times of Foerster and Flor are only twice, and then incidentally, referred to; it is, therefore, not at all improbable that some of the species deemed to be new have been already described by them. — J. W. Douglas» 8, Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham : April 30fA, 1878.
Notes on Cynipidce and Aphides. — I found, on the oth of Anril last, a very common Cynipid, the Neuroterus lenticularis, laying its eggs in the bud of a young oak in my garden. I could adjust a glass tube over the insect without disturbing it in its operation, and saw how it repeated five times the act of inserting its terebra in tlie bud. The following day it was dead, and I had it put in my collection. I des- troyed all buds of the branch except the attacked one, and surrounded the branch with a bag of muslin ; the leaves soon displayed themselves, and three of them showed after about a fortnight the well known galls of another Cynipid, the Spathogaster baccarum, viz., three on one leaf and one on each of the others. On the 5th of May, the winged " Spathogaster " made its appearance. This fact is a new confir- mation of Dr. Adler's discovery on the dimorphism of Cynipidce.*
* Vide p. 12, anie. — Eds.
18 rs.] 43
I had also good fortuiio in my breedings of Ap/iidce, the sohtary egg I had ob, taiued from the apterous female oi Pemphigus spirothecce in January last, at IS^iee, gave me on the 20th of April, the young louse forming the first phase of the new- colony. I have followed the formation of the gall.
The eggs, which I had found under the bark of the elm and which I suspected to be those of Tetraneura ulmi, gave me also their produce as a little louse, which proved to be the very insect I expected. I saw it form its galls, and I could follow the first and second phases, as they are now taking wing. . . . But now here is the difficulty, where do they go in summer ?
I find now at the roots of grass {Broimis) a little louse which I suppose is Kirby's Aphis radicum or Koch's Amt/cla fuscicornis, but the winged form (unknown to the authors) is very curious, as it carries its wings, like Phylloxera, horizontally and crossed on the back. The neuration of the wings is that of Aploneura, Passei'ini, of which one species only (A. lentisci) is mentioned by the author. The new one ought to receive the name of A. radicum, and the forms known to me are the third and fourth phases, this last as winged Pseudogyne, carrying the sexuated pupse, and the sexuated S and ? without rostrum. It is a curious fact that in the other Saploneura only the gall-maker (the fundator) and the second phase (the emigrant) are known and described (this last winged), but producing young ones with rostrum and not sexuated. — J. LiCHTENSTEiN, La Lironde, near Montpellier : June, 1878.
Stridulation in Insects and the Microphone — a suggestion.— A.a the microscope reveals to the eye of man all the most insignificant of Nature's works, why may not the microphone disclose to our hearing the most inaudible sound F Through Pro- fessor Hughes' discovery we may hope to have great light thrown upon the somewhat obscure subject of " Stridulation in Insects." As soon as the microphone is practically developed, what can possibly hinder us from adding it to our long and able list of entomological apparatus. We shall then be able to hear our Thecla rubi at work in the wood-borders, and possibly a female Saturnia carpitii may be distinctly (nay loudly) heard to call her loving mate from a distant spot, and this in a language of her own.— S. D. Baiestow, Woodland Mount, Huddersfield : 3Iai/ 29tk, 1878.
Luminous Insects, especially Diptera. — This subject having been alluded to in the notice on " Luminous Lepidopterous larvae" (vide vol. xiv, p. 260, ante), I may be allowed to complete the references there given.
In the " Entomol. Monatsbliitter," by Dr. Ivraatz (1876, p. 41), there is a very interesting observation on luminous Chironomi, by Brischke. They were observed on a warm summer evening in 1860 : the light seemed to proceed from the thorax and abdomen. Dr. Loew determined the species as Chir. tendens. In the same article, the previous observations on the same phenomenon, by Pallas (his Culex was a Chironomus), and by Alenitzin, Member of the Aralo-Caspian Expedition, are referred to; an account of the latter, given in the "Deutsche Entom. Zeitschr. (1875, p. 432), is quoted.
Another case of ])liosphorescence among Diptera deserves to be investigated.
The head of the mre and remarkable tly Thyreophora cynophila is said \.o be
41. [July,
luminous. This fly is metallic blue, its head comparatively large, swollen, and of a bright orange-red. Macquart ("Suites a Buffon," ii, p. 497) says about it : " Quant " aus habitudes, elles sont fort lugubres. II ne recherche que les tenebres et les " cadavres desseches. A la sombre lumiere de sa tete phosphorique, il se jette sur les " ossements deeharnes et se repait des derniers restes de I'animalite. C'est sur les " chiens morts qu'il se trouve." Macquart's authority is probably Robineau Desvoidy, who says (" Essai sur les Myodaires," 1830) : " On I'a trouvee deux ou trois fois dans " les environs de Paris, sur diverses sortes de caihivres. M. le Comte de Saint Fargeau " en possede un individu pris dans une ^curie do cavalerle, et que la tete, phospho- " rescente durant la nuit, rendaifc facile a reconnaitre." Beyond this single statement, the fact has never been recorded, as far as I know, and I thought it worth while to draw upon it the attention of entomologists who may be in a position to verify it.
Concerning luminous Coleopterous larvae, see my articles in " Proc. Entom. Soc. Philad." (1862, p. 123, tab. i, f 8, and I. c. vol. iv, 1865, p. 8) ; also a brief notice in the " Canadian Entomologist" (December, 1868). In these articles I described a beautiful luminous larva, three inches long, which occurs in North America, and which I refer to Melanactes (ElateridcEj.
Finally, I will notice on the same subject of luminosity of insects, that the " American Entomologist (and Botanist) " (vol. ii, p. 371, St. Louis, 1870), contains an article, "Luminous (?) leaf-hopper," the author of which pretends to have noticed that the Homopteron Tettigonia, quadrivittata, Say, emits flashes of scintillations in the dark. The Editors of the Review, in publishing this article, very properly ex- press their doubts about the reality of this observation. This communication was undoubtedly a hoax. — C. R. Osten-Saceen, Heidelberg : June, 1878.
6bituarn.
WiUiam Chairman HewUson, F.L.S.,-Kas born at or near Newcastle-on-Tyne on January 9th, 1806, and died at his residence, Oatlands, Weybridge, on May 28th, 1878.
After comjjleting his education he was articled to a Surveyor, and subse- quently practised his profession at York and at Bristol ; but at a later period the bequests of relatives placed him in an affluent position and free to cultivate his tastes for Natural History on an extensive scale.
Whilst yet a comparatively poor man, he commenced a work on British Oology, of which the first part was published at Newcastle and London in April, 1831. His earliest published entomological observations appear to have been the localities of Lepidoptera occurring near Newcastle, York, &e., in Stephens' "Illustrations," com- mencing (in 1828) at Polyommatus Agestis and Ariaxerxes and extending to near the end of the Pyralidce. In vol. v of the "Entomological Magazine," in 1837, is a note by him " on the Economy of Hedi/chriim," one of the ChrysididcB. In 1844 he visited Switzei-land, and an account of his doings amongst the Alpine Butterflies will be found in the "Zoologist" for 1845; henceforth his attention appears to have been more especially devoted to exotic Butterflies. It is needless here to refer to the nu- merous papers published by him in Journals and in the Transactions of various Societies (the latest having appeared in this Magazine in March of the present year). His best known works are the illustrations for the " Genera of Diurnal Lepidoptera," published ^^with descriptive matter by E. Donbleday and Westwood) from 1846 to
isrs.] . 4,5
1852, the "Exotic Butterflies," commenced in 1851 and concluded (at the termination of the third volume) in the present year, and his separate work on the Lyccenidm, left unfinished at the time of his death, and which will (we believe) be edited and concluded by his faithful friend and co-worker, Professor Westwood. These works are remarkable for the surpassing accuracy and fidelity exhibited in the forms and colours of the wings, drawn by himself on the stone and coloured from his own patterns. In these points he was (and probably will long remain) without an equal. On the other hand, the absence of appreciation of structural characters other than those furnished by the wings is painfully apparent, the bodies and legs being delineated in a mechanical manner (or the latter altogether omitted) ; nor do we any where find notes of biological interest in his writings on Buttei'flies.
These omissions, and the want of power of grasping (or intelligently combating) the modern philosophical theoi-ies of Natural Science, will prevent his name acquiring the high position amongst those of scientific Entomologists in which we should have liked to have seen it. This is greatly to be deplored. After fortune had favoured him, he spared neither time nor money in amassing materials : there never has been an Entomologist to whom science is so directly indebted in this way ; there probably never has been one who could have advanced its higher branches more directly had he aimed at something further than the mere possession and description of specimens of the perfect insects.
Some thirty years ago the Oatlands Park Estate (once the residence of the Duke and Duchess of York) was cut up into a variety of lots for building purposes. Mr. Hewitson purchased the first of these ^about ten acres) and built himself a house, laying out the grounds with exquisite taste and planting a variety of choice conifers and flowering shrubs, so that to the natural beauties of the suddenly-broken ground, with ornamental water at the foot of the slope, and two large and aged cedar trees near the mansion, as the trees and shrubs grew up, ever more and more charms were added. Hence a visit to Oatlands was remembered by the many who enjoyed the privilege as one of the experiences of a life-time. It is possible that few more gen- uinely single-minded and charitable men have (or ever will be) connected with Entomology. Truly we could better have spared a better man, from an entomological point of view.
Mr. Hewitson had long been a valetudinarian, but up to the last his most inti- mate friends refused to believe his end was so near. So far as we can learn, the dis- position of his collections and property is strikingly in keeping with his character. The Butterflies are bequeathed to the British Museum on the condition that they remain separate for twenty-one years, accompanied by a wish that at the expiration of that time the same condition be extended for a further similar term ; the birds' eggs are left to his friend and publisher, Mr. Van Voorst, who long ago assisted him (when assistance was valuable) in continuing his " British Oology." He was a widower for many years before his decease, leaving no issue, and no relatives ; his property — after the payment of large sums to several charities, liberal bequests to his executors, and a multitude of smaller amounts to his servants, and to those who had dii'ectly, or indirectly, assisted him in his entomological pursuits — is left to an old friend and schoolfellow ; with the exception of his library, bequeathed to his native town (Newcastle), and certain pictures which will enrich the national collection.
46 [•'"ly,
Entojiological Societv of London : oth June, 1878. — H. W. Bates, Esq., r.L.S., &c., President, in the Chair.
Mr. J. A. Finzi exhibited an example of Anthocharis cardamiiies from Darenth Wood, remarkable inasmuch as although it appeared to be undoubtedly a ^' , one fore-wing had a large patch of orange on the underside only.
Mr. D. G. Rutherford exhibited a series of large, brown, irregular masses of strong web from 4 to 7 inches in diameter, being the common envelopes of aggrega- tions of cocoons of a species of BombycidcB allied to Anaphe Panda, Bdv., sent from Mount Camaroons (5000' alt.) by Mr. G. Thomson. Each of these masses contained from 130 to 150 special cocoons, and to some of them were attached cases containing large larvae (still living) of a parasite, either Dipterous or Hymenopterous, probably the latter.
He also exhibited an example of Papilio Boisduvalianus, which on one of its anterior-wings showed some of the markings usual in P. Cynorta, and which he thought confirmed, to some extent, tlie suspicions that these supposed two species are only sexes of one.
Mr. Meldola exhibited a series of objects forwarded by Mr. Darwin, viz. : — photographs of two species of Orthoptera allied to PterocUroza illuslrata and P- ocellata, received from Dr. Zacharias, and remarkable for their perfect imitation of dead leaves, which was carried out in the neuration of the wings even to microscopic details as compared with the ribs and veining of leaves ; small beetles of the genus Spermophagus bred from seeds' of Cassia neglecta sent from Brazil by Dr. Fritz Miiller, and received alive in this country ; and the proboscis of a Sphinx caught by the tubular nectary of a pale yellow Hedychium, also from Dr. F. Miiller. He mentioned that Dr. Miiller (Blumenau, Santa Catharina, Brazil) was anxious to enter into correspondence with entomologists respecting the scent -producing organs of Lepidoptera not occurring in Brazil.
Sir S. S. Saunders, on behalf of M. Lichtenstein, communicated a sei'ies of notes by the latter on the Natural History of Aphides, especially Phylloxera, in reply to Professor Westwood's criticisms on his theories in his last Presidential Address.
Mr. Park Harrison brought imdcr the notice of the Society certain marks on chalk found during his examinations of the old shafts atCissbury. Some of tlicse he attributed to direct human agency two thousand years ago, but of others he was not so sure, and thought they might have been caused by insects. These exhibitions occasioned considerable amusement and discussion, the result of which was that Mr. Park Harrison was informed that he might be perfectly certain the markings were not due to insects. There appeared also to be a pretty general idea that all the markings were of very recent origin.
Dr. Fritz Midler communicated " Notes on Brazilian Entomology," especially concerning the odours emitted by butterflies and moths, and their bearing on tlie theory of evolution. Considerable discussion ensued, in which the President, Mr. Meldola, Mr. Wood-Mason, Mr. Distant, JMr. McLachlan, and others, took part.
Dr. Sharp communicated a paper on some Longicorn Coleoplera from the Hawaiian Islands.
Mr. P. Cameron communicated a paper on the larvse of Tcnlhredinidm with special reference to protective resemblance.
The President read a paper on Macropsebiuin ColleriUi, and olher new species of Coleoplera, from Lake Nyassa.
1878.]
4^
NEW COLEOPTERA FROM NEW ZEALAND. BY D. SHAKP, M.B.
Among some Coleoptera that I liave recently received from New Zealand, there are a few interesting species which I think may be named and charactei'ized with advantage : as they are either species closely allied to known ones so as to be readily identified, or else forms so entirely new that they cannot be mistaken for anything else.
They are : — Demetrida moesta (^Garahidcs) ; Braclufpeplus hrevi- cornis, Epui'CBa zealandica, and Soronia optata {Nitidulidce) ; Brounia thoracicn, an isolated form, that cannot, I consider, be placed with advantage in any of the families of Coleoptera ; Pericoptus stupidus {I)ynastid(S) ; Gilibe Suttoni and Choerodes concolor {Tenehrionidcs) ; Hhipistena luf/iilris (^Evaniocerides, but connecting them with Mordel- listena) ; Souiafidia longipes {Ceramhijcidcd) , and Cryptodacne syntlietica {Erotylidce) ; Brounia, Rhipistena and Cryptodacne are new generic names.
"We are indebted to Professor Hutton, of Dunedin, and Captain Thos. Broun, of Whangarei, for the discovery of most of these insects.
Demetrida M(esta, n. sp.
Depresshiscula, sat nitida, nigra, j^f'dihus fere concoloribns, antennis ru- fescentibns, articnlis 1" et 3" infuscatis ; prothorace sat lato,obsolethis trans- i^ersim strigoso ; eJytris subtiliter (fere obsolete) striatis, apice oblique, vix sinuatim, truncatis. Long. 6| mm., lat. 2| mm.
This seems very distinct from the other described species ; it is rather broad, and in its form resembles T>. picea, but the thorax is even more quadrate than in that species ; the elytra have no im- pressions, and their apex is not so straight as in D. picea, the species being in this respect intermediate between D. picea and D. nasuta.
A single individual has been sent from Otago, by Professor Hutton.
Brachtpeplus brevicornis, n. sp.
Depressns, sub-oblongus, parallelus, niger, antennis 2>edibns elytrorumque
parte basali rufis, his apice latefuscis, subfiis griseo-pubescens, supra nigra-
p^ibescens, sed pubescentia ad basin elytrorum et abdominis grisea.
Long. 3i — 3 J mm., lat. \\ mm.
The antennae are short and rather stout, red in colour, the jomts are short, the
2nd and 3rd being each only a little longer than broad, while the following are
not so long as broad. The head and thorax are densely and finely punctured ; the
latter is strongly transverse, nearly straight at the sides, but distinctly narrowed in
front, the hind angles rectangular and very definite ; the colour at the sides is more
dilute. The elytra have the basal part rufescent, the apical blackish, the limit
between the two colours is indefinite ; their sculpture is fine and indistinct, and con-
4s L-'"iy' 1'^'^
sisfc of series of fine punctures, and punctate interstices. The dense pubescence of the upper surface is blackish, but there is a patch of pale pubescence at the base of the elytra, and two very lai-ge patches on the first exposed dorsal segment, there are also a few pale hairs on the margin of the following segment, at the hind angle. The male has a supplementary dorsal segment.
The species may be located in Murray's sub-gen. Tasmus, near the Australian B. hmotatus and B. Uandus ; tbough it greatly resembles these species, it is very readily distinguished by the much shorter antenme.
Sent from Tairua by Captain Broun, as No. 303.
Epur^a zealaxdica, n. sjy.
Latiuscula, testaceo-ferruginea, supra protJwracls disco elytrisque plus
minusve infuscatis ; crehrius evidenfer punctata; protJioracis elytrorumque
lateribus sat explanatis, his apice in utroque sexu rotundato.
Long. 3 mm., lat. If mm.
This species is intermediate in form between H. deleia and ^. limlata, Er., and is about the size of the latter. The club of the antennae is elongate. The labrum is elongate, but is deeply divided nearly to its base. The thorax is shaped much as in E. deleta, but the sides are more explanate, and the base on each side is more sinuate, the surface is uneven on account of some obsolete impressions.
Sent from Tairua by Captain Broun, as N"o. 239.
Obs. — This species is evidently variable in colour, it has not only the appearance of our European species of Epurcsa, but I can detect no structural character whatever to distinguish it. The male is dis- tinguished from the female by the broad front tarsi, and the additional minute apical segment. AVhite's Nifidula antarctica is, I have no doubt, another species of Epurcea ; I have specimens agreeing with his insufficient description ; the species has the peculiarity that in the female the apices of the elytra are prolonged and acuminate.
SOHONIA OPTATA, 11. Sp.
Oblonga, nigro-fusca, antennis, pedibus, prothoracis elytrorumque Umbo rufesccntibus, supra tomento obscuro, setisque deorsum curvatis vestita ; elytris po7ie medium fascia undulata colore dilutiore. Long, vix 4 mm., lat. 1| mm.
This insect is rather long and narrow in form. The eyes are rather small, but very prominent ; the thorax is much emarginate in front, nearly straight, and not undulate at the sides, the hind angles obliquely truncate ; its surface is a little uneven, and its sculpture is quite concealed by the obscure tomentum and setae which it bears. The elytra are clothed in a similar manner, so that their sculpture is also obsciire.
August, 187S] -1.9
The species cannot be confounded with Soronia hystrix, on account o£ its very different outline ; it has also the set« o£ the upper surface very different, for, instead of being upright and very conspicuous as in that species, they are arched or bent down, so as to escape notice when only a superficial observation is made.
I have seen but one individual ; it was from Mr. Bakewell's col- lection, where it was merely labelled Xew Zealand.
BeOUNIA THORACICA, 11. SJJ. Ohlongo-ovalis, nigra, elytris purpureo-nigris, sat dense puhescens, minus nitida, tarsis fusco-testaceis ; thorace lateribus et parte anteriore defiexis et dense punctatis, disco incpquali minus punctata, margine basali crenato ; elytris crebre sat fortiter punctatis, versus suturam obsolete sulcatis.
Long. b\ mm., lat. 2 mm.
Anteniiffi rather long, the 1st and 2nd joints short and bead-like, 3rd larger and triangular, 4th shorter than 3rd, somewhat produced inwardly, 6th to 11th each produced inwardly into a long slender lobe, 5th joint intermediate in form between the 4th and 6th. Thorax with all the anterior and lateral parts depressed, so that their outer margins are not visible from above, these parts densely and coarsely punctured, the part wliich remains in the natural plane of the pronotum shining and but little punctured. Scutelhim conspicuous, somewhat circular, impunctate ; elytra rather long, black, but with a distinct violet or purple tinge, shining, but pubescent, with some ill-defined longitudinal grooves towards the suture, and rather closely, but not coarsely, punctured. Under-surface densely punctured, and very densely and finely pubescent, except on the middle of the metasternum.
Captain Broun has sent me an individual of this species labelled Drilus ? atroctBTuleus ; and informs me he has only been able to find two specimens. It is one of the most remai'kable beetles yet discovered in IS^ew Zealand, and I give below its structural characters, so far as I can make them out from the very brittle and mutilated example before me. I have, with very great pleasure, named the insect in honour of its discoverer, whose energy and skill are doing so much to enable us to get a satisfactory knowledge of the important insect-fauna of New Zealand.
Anterior parts of the head atrojphied, so that the antennise appear inserted near one another on its front edge, eyes large and conspicuous ; antennae 11-jointed, the basal joints small, those towards the extremity emitting an elongate lobe : beneath, the parts of the mouth seem small but exposed, and the apical joints of the labial and maxillary palpi rather large and subsecuriform. The prothorax is so formed that its anterior open part is placed on the under surface, and the head can be com- pletely doubled in and concealed, all the parts of the head except the prominent trophi when doubled in fit the front opening, and to accomodate the trophi, there is a deep depression h\ tlie middle of the prosternum, which extends as far as the coxse.
50 [August.
The flanks or side-pieces of the tliorax are rather largely deTeloped. and their limits and sutures quite distinct ; the prosternum is diyided as above described, by a very deep fossa or depression in the middle, the piece on each side of this depressed middle part is rather large : the front coxfe are moderately distant from one another, being separated by a depressed prosternal process, the form of the coxse themselves I cannot see, but their inner terminations are distinctly exserted. The mesostemum is exposed between the middle coxae, and is emarginate in front, so as to receive the prosternal process and (probably) render the prothorax almost immoveable. The mid- dle coxal cavities are moderately large, irregularly oval, with the slender part outwards, and the embedded coxeb have a small trochantin visible. The metathorax is moderately long, its episterna are large, and almost parallel-sided ; the epimera are minute and triangular, and can be seen at the exti-emities of the coxa and epister- num. The hind coxse are nearly contiguous in the middle, and have a very short but broad upper lamina, which is, however, distinctly broader at its inner portion over the trochanteral articulation ; there is a perpendicular lamina to which the femur and tibia can be closely applied when ilexed, so as to be concealed. There are five rather large ventral segments, the basal one of which sends off a narrow process between the coxal laminae. The tarsi are all five-jointed, the 1st and 2nd joints are rather small, the 3rd is very small, but bears a large membranous lobe, extending forwards on the under-face of the foot, the 4th joint is very small, and might, without a careful examination, be supposed to be absent ; the 5th joint is, without the claws, as long as the other four together, the claws are large and simple.
This extraordinary insect is one of the most interesting of the Coleopiera ; it is undoubtedly allied to Chelonarium, though at first sight it has more the aspect of an Eucnemid ; it departs very widely from Chelonarium by the structure of the autennre, which are similar to those of Cerophytum elateroides^ except that the basal joint is much smaller. I see no other relationshij) except to Chelonarium and Cero- phytum, and, in my opinion, it goes far to settle the position of the latter most remarkable insect, for Cerophytum is just intermediate between Brounia and the Materidat and EucnemidcB. To force any of these interesting insects into the ordinary families of Coleoptera, is to refuse to recognise them for what they really are — isolated anomalies, whose relationships, even inter se, are highly jjroblematical.
Peeicoptus stupidus, n. sp.
Supra nigro-piceus, nitidus, suhtits cum pedihus piceo-rufus, et [ahdomine e.rceptd) fidvo-hirsiitus ; prothorace transversa, elytris angustiore,inipunctato ; elytris obsolete punctatis, et vix perspicue sulcatis ; pygrdio ntrinque parce punctata. Long. 18 — 22 mm., lat. 11 — 12^ mm., alt. 8^ — 9| mm.
3f as, prothorace in medio pone marginem anteriorem obsolete tuberculato, et in medio indeterminate depresso.
Fem., prothoracis tuberculo et depressione cpgre distinguendibus.
Head rough over all the upper surface, on the middle indefinitely transversely
1878.] 51
elevated, the clypeus much narrowed to the front, and the front edge, in the niiddk^ a little reflexed, and obscurely emarginat* : the form of this part does not differ in the sexes.
Several very mutilated individuals of this species were sent from Otago by Pi-of. Huttou ; I should fancy they were picked up dead.
Obs. — There are two very distinct forms placed in collections as Fericoptus, and though at first sight they appear very similar, I think they will probably ultimately form distinct genera. In the larger insect, which is generally called in collections P. truncatus, the anterior part of the head is flattened, and placed on a different plane to the hinder part, so that the front part forms a sort of disc, which is evidently the same in kind (though less in development) as that of Temnorhipichus. In the species I have here described as P. stupidus, the head departs but little from the Pentodoii form. So far as I can judge from White's description of Cheiroplafys ptmctatus, I consider it will prove allied to P. stupidus.
CiLIBE HuTTOJfl, n. sp. Picea, antennis pedihusque rufis vel piceo-rufis ; protliorace nifldo, ere- brlus minus fortiter (disco parcius et suhtiliter) punctato, lateribiis t'otundatis, basin versus angustatis, ad angulos posteriores aciitos haud explanatis ; elytris subopacis, crebriiis irreguJariter punctatis, longihidinaliter subsulcatis.
Long. 10 — 12 mm., lat. 5 — 6 mm.
The antennse are short, and are reddish in colour, with the 3rd and one or two following joints generally more obscure, the 9th and 10th joints are decidedly shoi'ter than broad ; the thorax is strongly transverse, with the sides rounded and the base a little sinuate ou each side, so that the hind angles are decidedly acute.
The male at first sight seems to exactly resemble the female, but a careful examination shews some constant, though inconspicuous, characters to distinguish it ; the front tibiae along their inner and hinder edge bear a dense very short pubescence ; the intermediate tibiae are clothed in a similar but more conspicuous manner, and are not at all incurved at their extremity.
The species can only be confounded with the variable C. elongata, but it is undoubtedly distinct. Mr. F. Bates, to whom we are indebted for the most of our knowledge of the species of this difficult genus,