1S97.] 133 



works by the agency of benzine. When disturbed, the Apterygida 

 runs off into the nearest dark corner with great speed, and is altogether 

 more rapid in its movements than its familiar garden relative ; and 

 A om its rather soft and delicate texture it is by no means easy to 

 secure without damage. 



With it occurred a single very immature but fully grown example 

 of another species of Forjiculidce, which Mr. Burr thinks may be 

 Anisolabis annuJijyes, Lucas, recently recorded from Tavistock by Dr. 

 Harold Swale (Ent. Mo. Mag., ser. 2, vol. v, p. 12i). Most of the 

 " greaves " I was informed were received from the London tallow 

 melters to be converted into manure ; but as many tons of bones from 

 all parts of the world are stored in the same building, there can be no 

 doubt that Apterygida arachidis is an imported insect, which will pro- 

 bably be found throughout this country if looked for in similar places. 

 At any rate, like its Coleopterous companions, Dermestes, Necrohia, 

 Alphitohlus, Omosita, Carcinops 1^-striata, &c., it finds a congenial 

 home at Queenborough, and like them also is an insect of almost 

 world-wide distribution. Mr. Burr (Joe. cit., p. 18) says, "It is a 

 cosmopolitan species, being first described by Tersin from specimens 

 taken at Marseilles. It was also found on the ship in the jS^ovara 

 Expedition (Brunner), and in New Guinea (Dohrn), Mombas, East 

 Africa (Gerstaecker), and in Mexico, Burmah, Australia, Islands of 

 Pacific and Indian Oceans, and various ports in Asia, Africa, and 

 America (de Bormans)." The original specimens appear to have been 

 taken among ground or pea-nuts (Arachis Tiypogcea). What I believe 

 from memory to have been the same species used to occur commonly 

 among our stores in H.M.S. " Penguin," but I regret to say that no 

 specimens were preserved. 



In conclusion, I may add that it will give me much pleasure to 

 supply specimens of Apterygida arachidis to any entomologist who is 

 interested in the Forjiculidce. 



I am indebted to Mr. Burr for an account of its synonymy, which 

 is as follows : — 



Apteetgida AEACHIDI3, Yersin. 



Forficula arachidis, Tersin, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. (3), viii, p. 509, t. 10, figs. 33—35 



(1860) ; Scudd., Ent. Notes, v, p. 51. 

 Chelidvra arachidis, Brunn., Prodr. Eur. Orth., p. 21. 

 Sphingolahis arachidis, de Borm., Biol. Centr.-Amer., Orth., p. 12 ; Ann. Mus. Civ. 



Genova (2), xiv, p. 406. 

 Apterygida arachidis. Burr, Brit. Orth., p. 17, t. 1, figs. 8, 8a (Xat. Joum., 1897). 

 Forficula Wallacei, Dohrn, Stett. Ent. Zeit., xxvi, p. 88 (1865). 

 Sphingolahis Wallacei, de Borm., Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova (2), vi, p. 448. 



