64 [March, 



Varieties of two British Coleoptera. — Aphodius punctato-sulcatus, Stiuin, v. 

 obscurelhis, Schilsky. — On May 24th, 1908, 1 took at Deal a well-marked melanic 

 form of our abundant dung-beetle, Aphodius pu7ictato-sulcatus, in which the 

 usual fuscous blotch on the elytra is much darkened, and so expanded as to leave 

 only a narrow stripe near the suture, and a narrow space at base, sides, and 

 apex yellowish ; the sides of the thorax also are only very narrowly pale. This 

 is the var. olscurellus of Schilsky (Deutsche Ent. Zeitschrift, 1888, p. 315). 

 Mr. F. Bouskell some years ago recorded in the transactions of the Leicester 

 Literary, &c. Society a specimen of A. punctato-sulcatus from the same locality, 

 which appeared to him to be this variety. 



Bryaxis longicornis, Leach (= Rybaxis sanguinea, auct.). — I took in April, 

 1910, near Eoydon, W. Essex, a specimen of this common species in which the 

 elytra are entirely black. Although such a form might be expected to occur, 

 having regard to the variability in the shade of the red coloration of the elytra 

 in tlie ordinary form, I cannot find that a British specimen of it has been recorded 

 previously. It is, however, known on the Continent, as Ganglbauer, in the course 

 of his description of the speciesinhiswell-known work on the CoZeopiera of Central 

 Europe, says that the elytra are " very rarely black." — F. B. Jennings, 152, 

 Silver Street, Upper Edmonton, N. : February 8th, 1912. 



Bledius arenarius, Payk., var. fergussoni, Joy. — Whatever opinion may 

 ultimately prevail as to the specific value of Bledius secernendus, Joy, there can, 

 I think, be no doubt that the insect described by Dr. Joy as B. arenarius, var. 

 fergussoni, is the same as Key's B. arenarius, var. a., for which he proposes the 

 name of Bledius minor (vide Oxyporiens — Oxyteliens, p. 192).— E. A. Newbery, 

 13, Oppidans Eoad, N.W. : Febrtiary 15th, 1912. 



Apatura iris and Vanessa antiopa, dtfc, near Hastings, in 1911. — It may be 

 well to put on record that Apatura iris, a very rare species in this district, was 

 seen by the Rev. A. G. Gregor at Brede on July 13th. It was sitting with wings 

 expanded on the public road. Vanessa antiopa was taken by Mrs. Davison of 

 Guestling in her own house on October 6th. It is a beautiful specimen with 

 cream-coloiu'ed bordei*, and had probably flown indoors for hibernation. Sphinx 

 convolvuli has not been uncommon this autumn near Hastings. Zeuzera 

 xsculi was brought to me by one of the school childi-en, and Cemiostoma 

 spartifoliella swarmed about a bush of broom in my garden. — E. N. Bloomfield, 

 Guestling Rectory, near Hastings : February, 1912. 



Hmmatopinus vituli, L. (= tenuirosti-is, Burm.), inN. Mavine, Shetland. — This 

 peculiar louse occiirred in extraordinary numbers during October last on a white 

 calf belonging to a crofter in this neighbourhood. The animal suffered extreme 

 discomfort for ten days and lost rapidly in condition, being latterly unable to 

 sleep or rest. Small sores also formed, partly throiigh the sucking of the 

 parasite, and partly through the beast's rubbing against every hard object in 

 his way. The crofter's treatment of the attack, a liberal application of " flowers 

 of sulphur," was quite effective. By the second day, the lower parts of the 



