22 NOTES ON THE AMAILEV 



Sp. 2. Amara lata, Sturm. 



Syn. — A: ingenua, Duftschmid. — A: lata, Steph. Mand. l.p. 128, 

 Sp. Char. — Deep brassy black ; hcL impunctate, with a very obsolete impres- 

 sion on each side between the eyes ; thx. smooth, with a slight dorsal 

 channel, and on each side at the base with two sub-punctate impressions, 

 of which the inner one is the largest, and somewhat remote from the base ; 

 elyt. delicately striated, the striae impunctate, with a continuous series 

 of impressions on the margin ; legs black, with rufous cil. and tarsi ; ant. 

 with the basal joints, and base of the fourth rufescent, the rest black ; pal. 

 pitchy ; length 4 — 5 lines. 

 Var. a. — A. eurynota, Illigek. — Destitute of the impressions before the eyes. 

 Common in the vicinity of Warrington, also taken near London, Bottisham, 

 Southend, and at Kimpton, near Andover. I have examined a number of speci- 

 mens of lata and eurynota, and feel confident, from reasons similar to those given 

 at the commencement, that the latter is merely a variety of A. lata. 

 Sp. 3. Amara similata, Stephens. 

 Syn. — Harpalus similatus, Gyllenhal; A similata, Steph. Mand, 1. p. 128. 

 Sp. Char. — Smaller and more oblong than the preceding; head impunctate; 

 thx. with two small scarcely punctate foveas on each side at the base, the 

 inner deepest ; elyt. striated, the three basal joints rufous. Length 4 — 

 4 j lines. 

 Rare about Warrington, but, according to Stephens, more frequent near London, 

 Bottisham, Kimpton, &c- 



Sp. 4. Amara Linnoei, Rylands. 

 Syn: — Carabus vulgaris, Linn. Syst. Nat.; — Berkenhout Syn.; Mart; 

 Col. pi. 37 ; A. obsoleta, Sturm ; A. vulgaris, Steph. Mand. l.p. 128 ; A. 

 Linncei, Ryl. MSS. 

 Sp. Char: — Bright coppery; head with an obsolete foveola on each side 

 between the eyes ; thx. rather convex, with two deep scarcely punctate 

 foveae on each side at the base, the inner one oblong, and deepest, the 

 outer oblique : elyt. striated, the striae obsoletely punctulate ; legs black, 

 with ferruginous cil. and claws ; ant. with the basal joint ferruginous, 

 or pitchy. Length 3| lines. 

 It is .a law of nomenclature, which is supported by most naturalists, * that 

 no animal should derive its specific name from the rarity or commonness of the 

 species ; the reason for this is obvious ; many animals which are frequent in one 

 country or district, are rare in another, and vice versa. An example of this is 



* It is a rule, we fear, advocated rather in theory than in practice. — Ed. 



