1912.J 287 



the perpetual rise and fall of this river the banks are very unproductive. The 

 only Bembidium I have found is B. tihiale. Mr. Day tells me that this is 

 his experience also in these smaller Cmnberland rivers. Nanophyes lythri was 

 abundant last year on Lythrum ; this year it is very scarce. I have also found 

 Ciomis pulchelius and Hyperaspis reppensis, and a single specimen of Quedius 

 nigrosenetis occurred at the entrance of a rabbit burrow. — W. W. Fowler, 

 Earley Vicarage, Reading : November 12th, 1912. 



Liodes (Anisotoma) curta, Fairm.,in Ireland. — While stopping at Coolmore, 

 Co. Donegal, in September, I drove across to Mullaghmore in Co. Sligo on the 

 southern side of Donegal Bay, with the object of examining its capacities as a 

 hunting groimd for insects. I had the good fortiine to pick up a Liodes on 

 bent-grass, wliich proves to be L. curta, Fairm., a species not hitherto recorded 

 from Ireland. I unfortunately only got one specimen, the fact being that there 

 were scarcely any insects about, though the day was tolerably fine. I have to 

 thank Dr. Joy for kind help in the determination of this beetle. — W. F. Johnson, 

 Poyntzpass, Armagh : November ISth, 1912. 



Note on Abraxas grossulariata ab. nigra. — With regard to Mr. Porritt's 

 editorial comments appended to my note on this subject in your October issue 

 (Vol. XLVIII, p. 238), I may say that Mr. Beattie's specimen is so absolutely 

 black that when excogitating a varietal name I originally fixed on the word 

 "pammelaena" (signifying in Greek "entirely black"), but on second thoughts 

 I concluded that it would not convey much to the ordinary run of entomologists 

 who are not thoroughly well versed in that ancient but somewhat difficult 

 language. I therefore contented myself with the name " nigra," which I hope 

 bears its meaning on its surface. I am strongly of opinion that this name of 

 mine, " nigra," holds good on the ground of priority, especially as its colour is 

 nearer to total blackness than Mr. Porritt's form, for the only part of it that is 

 not black is its thorax, Avhich is normal. The mere fact of Mr. Newman's speci- 

 men having some white on the lower wing bears but little on the question, 

 although, of course, if I had been informed of the fact, I should not have 

 included it, vrith Mr. Beattie's specimen, under the designation of " nigra." — 

 G. H. Eatnor, Hazeleigh Rectory, Maldon : November 6th, 1912. 



[From the foregoing, Mr. Raynor and I are evidently agreed on practically 

 the only point at issue, that the so-called black varleyata should not have been 

 included under var. nigra. As to the authorship of the name nigra, Mr. Raynor 

 is most welcome to it. Now that we know exactly to what form the name 

 applies, it is quite immaterial to whose credit the name stands. I am not 

 ambitious to be a name maker ; if I were, I could easily make many oiit of 

 forms in my own collection ! — G. T. Porritt.] 



Notes on British Diptera. — Mycetophila ornata, Steph. : In the niunber of 

 this Magazine for April, 1911, page 93, I called attention to having two speci- 

 mens of Mycetophilidaj that I felt sure must be the Mycetophila ornata figured 

 and described by Stephens ; but as this name was not to be fotind in my list, I 

 asked if any of your readers could enlighten me, without, however, eliciting a 

 reply. This identification is now confirmed by Mr. F. W. Edwards, to whom I 



