THE CANA.DIAN KNTOMOLOGIST. 239 



VARIATIONS IN MARKINGS OK CICINDELA SEX-QUTTATA. 



Dear Sir, — 1 have just read with much interest Mr. Townsend's 

 article (Vol. xv. p. 205-8) " On the variation of the elytral markings of 

 Cicindela sex-quttata" and as he quotes from my field notes for 1881, I 

 feel called upon to modify the record therein made casually of a two- 

 spotted variety of this bettle. A more careful examination shows that, in 

 addition to the anterior spots of normal size, rudimentary posterior ones 

 may be discerned with a good glass, or more plainly, as Mr. Townsend 

 points out, by examining the under surface. I can discover no trace, 

 however, of the intermediate spots. The specimen is apparently a variation 

 in the direction of the immaculate southern variety known as Violacea, Fab., 

 towards which it also tends in coloration. I may add that of eighteen other 

 specimens at present all in my collection (and taken promiscuously), five 

 belong to the first variety and five to the third ; one of the latter showing 

 an interrupted line from the anterior to the inner spot, and having the 

 posterior ones rudimentary. Three belong to the fifth variety ; one of 

 these has also an interrupted line from anterior to inner. The remaining 

 specimen belongs to the the seventh variety. Other interesting varieties 

 probably occur ; and as the beetles are very common here, I will en- 

 deavor next season to obtain a more extended series. The color of many 

 specimens also departs very much from the typical green toward a decided 

 blue. W. Hague Harrington, Ottawa, Ont. 



ON THE GENUS IDIOSTOMA. 



Dear Sir, — I have seen in the July number of your valued periodical 

 (Vol. XV., p. 139) in a letter from my esteemed correspondent, Miss 

 Murtfeldt, the confession which she has kindly made public on my behalf 

 of my oversight in characterizing the genus Idiostoma as new to science, 

 whereas it had been already described by Messrs. Grey and Boll 

 under the name " Metamorpha." When I first received an example of 

 this genus from South Africa, I had not seen the original description, nor 

 should I have expected to find it among North American genera. I make 

 no excuses for the mistake : but as the name Metamorpha is pre-occupied^ 

 having been used by Hubner for another genus of Lepidoptera, I venture 

 to point out that, according to the accepted rules of Zoological nomen- 

 clature, the name " Idiostoma" should now be retained. 



I am, yours faithfully, Walsingham. 



