1905.] 223 



TETROPIUM sp.? AT LEIGHTON BUZZARD. 

 BY THE REV. GEOEGE A. CRAWSHAY, M.A., F.E S. 



A black form of Tetropium has occurred here this summer in 

 some numbers, and I take the ])resent opportunity of briefly recording 

 the first appearance in this district, so far as T am aware, of any 

 member of the genus. 



It will be well to leave the question of its identity open for the 

 present. 



On comparing my beetle with the two long series of Tetropium 

 in the British Museum I remarked that it was different in general 

 appearance from these species. A.t the same time, in considera- 

 ion of the variation in form, coloration, puctuation, and pubescence, 

 to which the different members of the genu.s seem liable, I took 

 the nearest description I could find to my insect, a very brief 

 one by Ganglbauer (Best. Tab. der Europ. Col.), and sent the beetle 

 out to Coleopterists as a Tetropium, nearest to T. castaneum, L., var. 

 fulcratum, F. At the same time not feeling satisfied with this, viewed 

 in the light of my long series of nearly 200 individuals presenting no 

 appreciable variation in their external structure and coloration, and, 

 thinking that my beetle might be a different species from any I had 

 seen, I referred it to M. Bedel, who informed me that Weise had 

 lately described a new species of Tetropium, and that it agreed with 

 the specimen I had sent him. I have accordingly communicated with 

 Herr Weise. Mr. Atmore's two recorded specimens (Ent. Mo. Mag., 

 April, 1904), taken prior to mine, and a hitherto unrecorded specimen, 

 taken at Elsfield, Oxfordshire, by Mr. J. J. Walker, shortly after 

 mine (June 26th, 1905) appear to me, judging from their external 

 structure and coloration, to be identical with the Leighton Buzzard 

 form. 



Subsequently hearing that Dr. Sharp is engaged in investigating 

 the genus, I have placed all my material at his disposal, confident that 

 I leave the matter in able hands. I hope, in a forthcoming issue of 

 the Magazine, to deal, at some length, with the capture and life history 

 of the imago and larva, by which time it seems probable that Dr. 

 Sharp will have determined what it is. 



I am indebted to Mr. W. Holland for informing me that my first 

 specimen belonged to the genus Tetropium. 



Leighton Buzzard : 



September 12th, 1905. 



V 2 



