1-^1^.] 179 



The male structure of E. consimilis has been figiired by Muir and 

 mvself (Tr. Eut. Soc. Loudou, 1912, pi. Ixiv, figs. 134 and 13-ia) under 

 the name of E. mollis. The three lobes of the aedeagus are considerably 

 longer in the true mollis, and are besides sufficiently different in shape 

 to make us sure that it is a distinct species. Numerous dissections 

 made by my daughter and myself, leave me without doubt as to this 

 result. 



As I have before said, the true E. mollis is occurring here com- 

 monly on burned fir-trees, but I have seen no other specimens of it, 

 though doubtless it occurs elsewhere in the country. Mulsant says 

 that mollis is a rare species, but that consimilis is generally common 

 in France. 



Ernobius oblitus, sp. n. 



Minor, ferrugineo-testaceus, antennis pedibusque pallidioribus, illis tantum 

 modiee elongatis, maris feminae non dissimilibus ; supi-a dense subtiliter sculphi- 

 ratus, et pubescens, oculis ini7iiis prominulis. Long. corp. (capite extenso) 3-3^mm. 



Hob. : Brockenhurst, Angliae mer. 



This species is so similar to the smallest specimens of the common 

 E. consimilis, that it is not improbably confounded with that form in 

 collections ; dissection of the aedeagus reveals such great ditferences 

 as to assure us that the two are not closely allied. 



The most remarkable superficial character of E. oblitus is that the 

 male antennae in shape and size ai"e not differentiated from those of 

 the female ; the 7th segment is slightly longer than the 6tli or the 8th, 

 as in consimilis. 



Five specimens — all just alike — have occ^^rred here on the burned 

 fir-trees in company with mollis and consimilis. 



The male aedeagus in Ernobius (and many other Anobiidae) is so 

 peculiar in form and so distorted that one wonders how it can function. 



I have had the opportunity of dissecting a copula of E. consimilis 

 as well as one of E. mollis. In this state the sexes stand end to end, 

 the male being sometimes the larger, but not always. The 6tli 

 abdominal segment of the female enters entirely into that of the male, 

 so that the hooks and j)rocesses of the male aedeagus are brought into 

 contact with the entrance of the vulva ; the median lobe of the male 

 structure enters the vulva, but the lateral lobes do not — one of these, 

 in fact, lies on each side of the female vulva. The structure of the 

 female organs of Anobium ijertinax has been well figured by Stein 



