tEICKSTERSHIRE COI.EOPTERA. ^1 



moss. Nutiophilm palustris was also not unconnuon. Galcrucella 

 )ii/nijiluu' and G. multtariae were swept oil" the margins of the brook, 

 neither of which species are recorded by Mr. F. Bates in his Bradgate 

 list. 



The granary species have been thoroughly worked this year 

 by Mr. Headly, and some interesting beetles have been noted. As 

 they have never been recorded for Leicestershire collectively before, 

 I must allude to them in detail. Tmi/usita iiiaiiritaiiica, an interesting 

 species not common in the Midlands ; it is found under old flour 

 sacks, etc. Silmimssurinaun'usis, a curious little beetle, luckily scarce 

 in Leicester, breeds in dried fruits, sugar, rice, etc., and is a great 

 pest in many grocers' shops. Xij^tiin /iDlolencus, the common spider 

 beetle, found in old houses, etc. lUa]>fi iinicronata, the churchyard 

 beetle, commonly distributed, breeds in bone dust and other refuse, in 

 cellars, etc. Tribolium J'errwjineum, a truly cosmopolitan species, 

 occurs in mills, bakers' shops, etc. TrihoUnm i-onfimim, a closely 

 allied species, which is, as a rule, not nearly so common, appears to be 

 the most abundant here. GiiathoccrHs cornutus is another meal-feeding 

 species ; the male can easily be distinguished by its horn-like mandibles 

 and the two short horns on the vertex of the head. Tenehriu nwlitur, 

 the meal worm, is commonly distributed, the other species, Tenebriu 

 obscunis being rather rare. Calandria i/ranaria, this wretched pest, 

 unfortunately abounds, but the allied species, C. onjzac, is luckily rare. 



The reservoirs of Cropstone, Thornton and Saddington have been 

 well worked, with curious results. Thornton and Cropstone are on 

 the trias marls and sandstones, whilst Saddington is on the marlstone 

 and upper lias. Cropstone and Thornton being so near to each other, 

 similar results would be expected, but at Saddington new things 

 might be looked for. At Cropstone, BeinbUUwn obliqmim, a very 

 local beetle, was in countless numbers, in company with Stenuloiihm 

 i-cs}iertinu.'i and Bcinbidiwa jiammulatnm, one tread on the muddy 

 margins displacing a seething mass of beetles. Anchomenuii man /in at us 

 and Philont/im ijuisijuillaris were everywhere on the mud, the rare var. 

 (liniiiliatu.s of the latter insect, with red elytra, was to be found sparingly. 

 This pretty variety is a new record for the county. Speaking of this 

 insect, the type I mean. Canon Fowler says, in The ('olcoptera of the 

 British Ides, vol. ii., p. 275, " it has been recorded from the Man- 

 chester district, but this may have been in error, as it does not 

 appear to occur in the Midlands, and I can find no record further 

 north than Cambridgeshire." It is also curious how the Burton-on- 

 Trent coleopterists could have missed it ; anyhow the fact remains, 

 it is one of our commonest reservoir beetles. At Thornton we 

 expected to find a similar state of things, the actual result was in- 

 teresting. Stenolophxui eespertimui only occurred in odd specimens, and 

 both Bembidium obliquum and B. jUuinindatuiii were by no means 

 common. Philonthus (inisiiuillaris, the beetle of the reservoir, was 

 there in countless numbers, the var. (liiiiidiatus turning up pretty 

 freely. One specimen of lUethisa iindtipunctata was disturbed from 

 the mud, the second record of this insect for the county. A fresh 

 Beinhidiwii in />. 'juttuJa occurred. At Saddington, neither Bembidium 

 obliiiuum nor Stenolophm vespertinm was to be found, and Bembidium 

 jlammulatam very sparingly. Philonthus (juisijuillaiis was common, 

 but not a single specimen of the var. could be found, although carefully 

 worked for on eight occasions. Bembidium clarki, new to Leicester- 

 shire, was taken here. (Mr. F. Bates assures me Dr. Power's record 



