1913.] 109 



Hydro2}orus hilineatus, Sturm, in England. — In 1903 the late Mr. Chitty 

 introduced this name to our Catalogue, b\it in Canon Fowler's new volume 

 Mr. Chitty's species is treated as )ieing H. hopffgarteni, Grerh., and considered to 

 be distinct from H. hilineatus, Sturm. In both these respects I believe Fowler 

 is quite correct, and, if so, it would appear that the latter must be erased from 

 our Catalogue. This, however, is not the case, as the specimens recorded from 

 Sheppey by Fowler as hopffgarteni are the true hilineatus, Sturm. Commander 

 Walker so determined them and sent me examples for verification and to be 

 recorded. It is another of the numei-ous interesting discoveries for which we 

 are indebted to this truly indefatigable entomologist. This species may be at 

 once distinguished by the long very definite line of yellow colour on each wing- 

 case, without reference to the more recondite characters of miniite structui-al 

 points. H. hopffgarteni is not noticed by Ganglbaiier or by Reitter in the recent 

 " Fauna Germanica." — D. Sharp: April 14<?i., 1913. 



Supplementary note on Stenus oscillator. Rye. — Since my note on this insect 

 was written, antea, pp. 88-89, I have searched for further material amongst my 

 old duplicate Steni, and have come across various small S. tarsalis, with dark 

 apices to the palpi and antennae, so like S. oscillator that it is more than 

 probable that the latter will prove to be a small form of that variable species, 

 the type having the elytra a little shorter than usiial. Ganglbauer gives many 

 synonyms for S. tarsalis, including S. reconditus, Casey, from N. America, and 

 it is a much more variable species than many of us suppose, the selected series 

 in the collection of the British Museum, as well as that in my own cabinet, 

 giving but little idea of its actual range of variation. S. bifoveolatus, I find, 

 can always be separated from »S'. oscillator and S. tarsalis (apart from the 

 difference in the margining of the hind body) by the more slender tarsal claws, 

 and the finer and sparser puncturing of the hind body. The Killarney insect 

 recorded by me as 8. oscillator cannot be separated from small S. tarsalis. — 

 G. C. Champion, Horsell, Woking: April 10th, 191S. 



Melanophila on rharred jjines. — Apropos of tlie occ\xrrence of Melanophila 

 acuminata, de G., on charred pines near Woking and in the New Forest during 

 recent years, the following extract from the April number of the " Entomo- 

 logical News," p. 169, on the habits of an allied North American form is of 

 special interest: 



Melanophila notata. Lap. and Gory. " Only one specimen in six years. Then 

 on Jvme 27th, 1911, took 38 at blazing pine stump as they flew to our clothes or 



rested on white ashes, or on some near-by wood June to August, 1912, 



took more at burning pine and learn that natives call them ' fire-bugs,' believing 

 them to actually come from the fire, and to contain such heat as to burn the 

 skin should they rest on it. The insect is probably drawn by the scent of 

 burning pitch. As it alights on a black stump one would think its generic 

 name fitting to that habit as well as to its own colour, yet it as readily seeks 

 white ashes or a white shirt. Both forms of notata vary from 7 to 13 mm. 

 in length." 



