COLEOPTERA IN THK ISLK OF WIGHT. 173 



Coleoptera in the Isle of Wight, with a few additions to the fauna 



of the Island. 



By J. TAYLOR, F.E.S. 



Two interesting additions have been made to the Isle of Wight list 

 in '■'■'•Elaphrusi iiliiiinosiis, F., which Mr. Donisthorpe tells me Dr. Joy 

 took on the banks of the Yar, between Freshwater and Yarmouth, and 

 '■''llohates foitt'cornis, Lac, taken by Dr. Nicholson at roots of grass near 

 Sandown at the end of March. The following species with asterisk 

 are also additions: — ''O-ci/ixida a7?a<rt, Miirk., with Lasinf< fulii/inosiis, 

 Ninham, near Shanklin (Taylor). ■■'■Mi/iinedonia fiotesta, Gr., with 

 L.fiilifii)iofiiis, Ninham (Donisthorpe). Mjfrmedonia laticollis, Miirk., 

 was taken with the same ants in numbers. '■■'■ Xatot/iecfa confiisa, Miirk., 

 with L. fitli(/inosi(s, Ninham (Donisthorpe). '■'■ Bolitobius exulettts, Er., 

 in fungus, Sandown (Taylor). '■Mycetojionis atit/idan'x, Hey, from a 

 heap of vegetable refuse, near Sandown (Taylor). This species, 

 although so distinct when mounted, might easily be passed over in the 

 field for Heterotlmps, if one had not seen it alive before, and were not 

 expecting to find it. ''Qnedit(s vexans, Epp., in moles' nests, December 

 to March, Sandown (Taylor). ■'Philonthns Uniiiicomis, Steph., Alver- 

 stone (Taylor). ■'Sfiiicus fraijilia, Gr., under withered grass, Sandown 

 (Taylor). ■'Stenita jiino, F., at roots of grass, Sandown (Taylor). 

 '■'■'•Cholera apadicea, Stm., Niton (C. J. G. Pool). '" Hister iiiarninatKs, Er., 

 in moles' nests, Sandown (Taylor). ''■Crt/ptophai/iai subt'toiKitiis, Kr., 

 in stale muscatel raisins, Sandown (Taylor). '' PtUiniis costatiis, Gyl., 

 in wooden base of scales in chemists' shop, Sandown (Taylor). This 

 insect was kindly named by Captain Deville ; it is, of course, probably 

 introduced, but I think not in the wood from which it was taken, as 

 the scales have been several years in Sandown, and show very few 

 traces of boring. The beetle is common in France, but I believe has 

 not been noticed in Britain before. '^Bhanonycha linihata, Th., 

 Bordwood Copse (Taylor). ■'■Ananinn nitilobris, Gyll., Greatwoods, 

 Shanklin (H. F. Poole). ■'•'■Lochmaea stitiiralu, Th., swept off Erica, 

 Parkhurst Forest (Taylor). ''P/inllobin^ ralcaratiis, F., Alverstone 

 (Taylor). '■'Acalles turbatus, Boh., Gatcombe (Jeflery). 



In moles' nests near Sandown have been taken in some numbers — ■ 

 Aleochara upadicea, Er., Heterotliopa nit/ra, Kr., (^>lledills rc.rans, Epp., 

 Hister iiian/iiiottis, Er., and (hithnphihiK f/labosKs, 01., and single 

 specimens of QuediKs loniiicortm, Kr., and Medon casta)ieiis, Gr. The 

 two latter were taken in December in a dry sandy field close to but 

 higher than the marshes, the nest being of grass ; the other species 

 occurred in this and similar fields, and in the marshes indifferently, 

 and until as late as the end of March. The Ueteriitluips was, of course, 

 the most abundant, and the Aleochara next. I believe moles' nests 

 have not been worked in the Island before. 



At Luccombe Chine the best part for collecting is unfortunately 

 nearly ruined for a time by the falling of sand from the cliff' above 

 burying everything to the depth of three or four feet. These occasional 

 falls from the cliff must, I think, account for the disappearance of 

 some of the best species formerly taken at Luccombe ; at the same 

 time they prevent the undercliff from getting so overgrown with gorse, 

 brambles, etc., as to be unworkable. That is the state of other parts 

 of this undercliff where no falls have taken place in my remembrance. 

 In a few years after such a fall the tiny streams which trickle over the 



