Ifi [January, 



The other British species is a much larger insect, which has been 

 taken by Dr. iSharp and others at Braemar, and which stands in some 

 collections under the name of scoticus. This is very similar to the 

 continental P. Liclitenstcinii, Eatz., but is larger. I have little doubt 

 that it will prove a distinct species, but apart from size, the points of 

 difference are slight, and I do not feel justified in introducing it as 

 new without the examination of more specimens than those which 

 Dr. Sharp has kindly isntrusted to me. If it turns out to be distinct 

 from P. Lichtensteinii, it should stand under Dr. Sharp's MS. name 

 scoticus. 



These three species (I include P. mlcrographus for the sake of 

 convenience) may be distinguished as follows : — 



I. Apex of elytra bluntly rounded, not acuminate. 



i. Apical depressions of elytra wide and deep, their surface glabrous and 

 shining; size larger P. Lichtensteinii, ^sXz. 



ii. Apical depressions narrow and inconspicuous, their surface wrinkled ; size 

 smaller P. pubescens, Marsh. 



II. Elytra acuminate at apex P. micrographus, Gyll. 



PlTYOPHTHOEUS LiCHTENSTEINII, Ratz. 



(? n. sp. scoticus. Sharp, in litt.). 



Similar in size and appearance to a small female of Tomicus bidentatus ; cylin- 

 drical, convex, shining, pitchy-brown or black, with disc of thorax and elytra lighter, 

 with very scanty fine pubescence on front and sides of thorax and sides of elytra. 

 Forehead with strong wrinkled punctures, in the male with a fi-inge of yellow hairs 

 above the mouth, in the female with a dense brush of yellow hair, forming a circular 

 patch in the middle of the forehead. Thorax convex, scarcely longer than broad, 

 Btrongly narrowed in front ; sides straight to middle, thence sinuate to apex, which 

 is strongly rounded, posterior angles distinct but rounded, disc impressed on either 

 side behind middle, covered in front with strong transverse asperations, the posterior 

 half very shining, with somewhat diffuse punctures, deep in male, finer in female, 

 with a broad smooth central line. Scutellum small, depressed, rounded, shining, 

 with two or three hairs on it. 



Elytra as wide as thorax and less than twice as long, humeral angles rounded, 

 sides straight to near apex, which is bluntly rounded ; moderately shining, with rows 

 of rather deep punctures, interstices inipuuctate, the inner ones subrugose trans- 

 versely, especially round scutellum. Sutural stria impressed throughout its length. 

 Apical impressions wide and deep, their fundus very glabrous and shining, their 

 lateral margins abruptly raised and bearing five or six setigerous tubercles, as do the 

 sutural margins, which are slightly raised at the apical declivity. Under-side thinly 

 pubescent. Femora and tibiae pitchy-brown, tarsi and antenn£B testaceous. 



Length, 2—2-2 mm. 

 Hah.: Braemar, Scotland. 



The points in which this appears to me to differ from the conti- 



