1S!)7.] 17 



visiting the spot frequently I met with several othei's ; but it seems to be a very 

 scarce species, and I could find it nowliere else in the district, though I looked for it 

 in all directions where the conditions seemed favourable.* — Beknap.d S. Harwood, 

 Colchester: November 20th, IS9G 



Saprinus cp.neus, F., and immundus, Gyll- — While collecting Coleoptera last 

 August at Deal, I met with eight examples of a Saprinus in a small piece of dung 

 on the sand-hills. An examination at the time led me to I'efer them to "S. aeneus, F. 

 I have just been looking at them more critically, and find among them some speci- 

 mens having the characters of immundus, Gryll., others with those of cBneus, P., and 

 yet others which are intermediate between them. 



From the circumstances in which these specimens were found, there is a strong 

 presumption that they are all one species ; and although I have no doubt that S. 

 ceneus and immundus are good and distinct species, and that these must probably be 

 referred to the latter, it appears to me that none of the characters given in our 

 books will serve to separate them satisfactorily. 



Let us examine the characters given by one or two authors : — Fairmaire and 

 Laboulbene (Faune de France, p. 276), who copy from Marseul (Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr., 

 1853, p. 462), make the junction of the fourth dorsal stria with the sutural stria 

 (««eM.s), or the reverse {immundus), the great point. Acloque (Faune de France, 

 p. 252) agrees witli Fairmaire, but makes a strong feature of the entire absence of 

 the third dorsal stria in immundus. Cox (Handbook Col. Brit., vol. i, p. 419) appears 

 to have copied Fairmaire as regards the junction of the stria;, but makes immundus 

 a dull, and eeneus a very shiny, insect. (Fairmaire says of immundus, "assez luisant "). 

 Fowler (Col. Brit., vol. iii, p. 210) makes the principal distinction lie in the shiny 

 space on the elytra being comparatively large outside the fourth dorsal stria {ceneus), 

 or the reverse {immundus^, and says the latter may be easily distinguished from 

 ceneus by its darker and less metallic colour, and by the much closer punctuation of 

 the elytra. He, however, says no reliance can be placed on the absence or presence 

 of the junction between the fourth and sutural strife. 



Now, in the eight examples referred to, the fourth stria is sometimes joined to 

 the sutui'al stria, and sometimes free. The third stria is indicated in some, and 

 totally wanting in others. The anjount of the punctuation outside the fourth stria 

 is very variable, making the smooth space outside the stria as long as, or much less 

 than, that within. Nor is the colour constant, though they are all much less dull 

 than examples sent me by Mr. J. J. Walker from Yarmouth. On the other hand, 

 they have none of them the brassy lustre of ceneus taken in the London distinct. 



I believe Canon Fowler has alluded to this difiiculty before in the Ent. Mo. 

 Mag., but I am unable to give the reference. The hope that some Coleopterist who 

 has studied the genus may be able to give some constant character to separate these 

 species induces me to again call attention to the subject. — E. A. Newbery, 12, 

 Churchill Eoad, Dartmouth Park, N.W. : November l&th, 1896. 



[The note in the Ent. Mo. Mag., referred to by Mr. Newbery, will be found in 

 vol. xvi, p. 275 ; I do not there speak of any difiiculty in distinguishing the species 

 which appear to be quite distinct, but merely refer to the untrustworthiness of the 

 characters drawn from the sutural strise ; S. immundus is a darker and less metallic 



* I found tliis in.sect in abmiduiicf uu ynuiig uspeiis at Mendel in tbe Au.stvian Tyrol in 3\i\y 

 last.— G. C. 0. 



