1909.] 249 



127). — Sparingly on the pines. The male of this species, it may be 

 noted, has each of the tibiae curved at the apex, and the intermediate 

 and posterior pairs subanguiarly dihated on the inner side at about 

 the middle. Found in abundance on one occasion (August 26th, 1893) 

 on a charred stump. 



Melanopliiln acuminata, De G. — I found four specimens of this 

 species on August 2'st, and several others were subsequently taken 

 by myself or by my sons, on various dates up to September 9th, one 

 of the last examples seen being much smaller than the rest. This 

 insect, like its allies, readily takes to wing in the hot sunshine, and 

 several examples were thus lost. When at rest on the charred pine 

 trunks it exactly resembles a small piece of burnt bark. The larva, 

 which I hope to illustrate in this Magazine, is very like that of Phsenops 

 cyanea, F'., as figured by Ferris ; it has a greatly developed, flattened 

 prothoracic segment. The insect itself is totally unlike an)'' of our 

 known British Buprestids, but approaches nearest to Anthaxia nitidula, 

 from which it may be at once known by its larger size, uniform 

 blackish-bronze colour, and subopaque, rugulose upper surface. The 

 examples captured vary from 64 — lli mm. in length. It is probable 

 that the last two years have been favourable for it in Surrey, as, 

 owing to the frequent fires in widely separated parts of the district, 

 many dead trees were left undisturbed during the past winter. The 

 species is very widely distributed on the continent, ranging from Scan- 

 dinavia to Asia Minor ; but I have only once seen it alive previously, 

 viz., at Vizzavona, Corsica, in 1893, with Fhcenops cyanea, F., and 

 there also it was on charred pines. 



Gorymhites tessellatus, F. — Sparingly. 



Helops striatus, F^ourer. — Abundant. 



HypopJiloeus linearis, F.— One specimen. First seen in the dis- 

 trict in 1899. 



Rhinosimus planirostris, F. — Commonly, with the SaJpingus. 



Salpingus castaneus, Panz., and S. airatus, Muls. — Both in pro- 

 fusion. The latter is an extremely variable insect, and amongst the 

 large number of specimens examined there is one (with the head 

 more prolonged behind the eyes than usual) that will have, I think, 

 to be referred to S. reyi, Ab. ; but as there is some doubt as to the 

 identification of Mulsant's species, it is perhaps inadvisable to bring 

 S. reyi forward as a British insect at present. [Amongst the S. ceraius 

 sent me many years ago by Mr. Eeston, from Stretford, near Man- 

 chester, there are two specimens that are inseparable from my conti- 



