1904.] 275 



TWO ADDITIONAL SPECIES OF BRITISH HEMIPTERA. 



BY E. A. BUTLER, B.A., B.Sc, F.E.S. 



In August, 1899, I took a few examples of a small Drymus under 

 dead leaves and amongst moss in a chalk pit at Abinger Hammer, near 

 Gomshall, Surrey. In everything but size they agreed with the 

 description of D. pilicornis, Muls., as given in the British text books, 

 but they were considerably smaller than the size therein indicated. 

 In August of the present year I found a considerable colony of a 

 much larger but otherwise superficially similar insect under Nepeta 

 glechoma on a chalk cliff at Worbarrow Bay, Dorsetshire. These 

 agreed in both appearance and size with the pilicornis of the text 

 books. A careful comparison of the two forms, however, plainly 

 showed that they represented two species. Mr. Edward Saunders, to 

 whom I sent them, suggested that the smaller insect was the true 

 pilicornis, Muls., but that the larger, which had hitherto borne that 

 name in this country, was confusus, Horv. I therefore sent a pair of 

 the Dorsetshire specimens to Dr. Horvath, and he has confirmed them 

 as his confusus. Apparently, Mulsant had the smaller form chiefly in 

 view in his original description, to judge from the size he gives for it, 

 and from the remark, " Cette espece differe du P. sylvestris, Linn., par 

 sa taille une fois moindre." We have therefore two species in this 

 country, D. pilicornis, Muls., the smaller one, and D. confusus, Horv., 

 the larger. Except as regards the size, which is that of confusus, the 

 descriptions in Douglas and Scott's "British Hemiptera" {Bhyparo- 

 chromus), and Saunders' "Synopsis" and " Hemiptera-Heteroptera of 

 the British Islands," apply equally to the two forms, which, however, 

 differ in the following as well as in some other less obvious 

 particulars : — 



D. PILICORNIS, Muls. I>. CONFUSUS, HorF. 



i. Length, 3—3^ mm. i- Length, 4i— 5§ mm. 



ii. Anterior tibiffi of d' much curved, ii- Anterior tibise of ^ nearly straight, 



gradually dilated inwardly at widely and abruptly dilated 



apex. inwardly at apex, 



iii. Anterior femora, with one large iii. Anterior femora, with one large 



and 5 or fi minute teeth. and 2 or 3 minute teeth, 



iv. Membrane often abbreviated. iv- Membrane fully developed. 



V. Abdomen beneath shiny and quite v. Abdomen beneath shiny, but with 



smooth. ^"^ scattered wrinkles like 



ripple marks. 



