110 . f^r^'-' 



viciousness of the multitudinous Myrniica rubra in the rubbish, render its 

 examination by no means easy or pleasant. The following species, taken so far 

 by Mr. J. Collins and m^yself, appear to be noteworthy: — Acupalpus consputus, 

 Pferosi icfiKs f/racilis, Trechus micros (scarce), Ochthebuis rtijimar(iinatus, llyohati's, 

 nigricoUis, Calodera protenm, Ocypus fuscatus (rare on this occasion), Lathro- 

 hium jyallidum (several), Platystethus alutaceus, Choleva angvstata, Agnthidium 

 nigripenite, Hister neylectus, Parnmecosoma melanoccphahim, Ephistemus yh- 

 bosus, Aphiidms erraticiis (a nearly black form), A. coyiatcms, Coryvibites 

 metallicus, Longitarsus suturalis (1), Cassida nobilis (a rare species here), Ajnon 

 desideratmn Sharp, Tanymeciis paUiatris, Hypern miirina, poUii.r, and siisjnciosa, 

 Baris lepidii, etc., etc. — James J. Walker, Aorangi, Lonsdale Road, 

 Summertown, 0.x:ford : April 17th, 1920. 



Polydrusus Jiavipes Be G. in Yorkshire. — There can be little doubt that 

 Dr. Fordham is light in his surmise [ante, p. 90) tliat the Polyd rusiis flavipes 

 of Walton in 18-37 "was only pteryyoinalis Boh. (Jiavipes JMarsh.)." Wiitii.g 

 nine years later, on the same genus (Ann. <fe Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. xvii, 1846, 

 p. 17), Walton says : " Major Gylleuhal lias described this insect [P. Jiavipes 

 De G.] with his accustomed accuracy and precision, and Mr. Stephens has 

 given shorter descriptions in his "Illustrations" and in his "Manual of British 

 Coleoptera " ; but from its near affinity to P. pteryyomalis, it has hitherto * 

 been confounded by British entomologists with that species." The only 

 localities he gives are Windsor and " Flenhault" Forests and also near 

 Hammersmith Bridge, where it had been taken by Mr. S. Stevens, and adds 

 that .specimens were in the cabinets of that gentleman, Mr. Waterhou.se, and 

 hiiuaelf. The fact is that while Stephens quotes from Schijnherr the descrip- 

 tion of Jiavipes De G., he misapplied it to pteniyomalis Boh., being then 

 unacquainted with the fm-mer insect. It may be noted that Walton published 

 a series of articles on Curculionid<e in the Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist, covering 

 the years 184:4-1852, and republished them (with a very misleading title-page) 

 about 1853. In the introductory note he refers to his ea)lier notes in the 

 '■Entomological Magazine," vol. v, in the following terms: — "In the above- 

 named publication I recorded my belief that the principal part of the foreign 

 synonyms of the British Curculionites were then in a very incorrect state ; 

 1 therefore determined to make an attempt to ascertain by what names our 

 species were known to the continental entomologists ; and in order to carry out 

 this intention I entered into correspondence with M. Schonherr, i)r. Germar, 

 and M. Chevrolat, I sent a series of British species of Curculionites to eacli 

 of the above-named celebrated foreign entomologists, and in return was kindly 

 furnished, not only with the names by which tliey were known to them, but 

 with numerous named types of species according to the Swedish, German, and 

 French authors, together with much valuable information. Principally from 

 these materials I have been enabled to clear up, in a matter satisfactory to 

 myself at least, the nomenclature of nearly all the British species." These 

 extracts suffice to show (1) that it was not until some time after his article 

 in the Ent. Mag. had appeared that he made the acquaintance of the true 

 fiavipes De G., having, in common with other British Coleopterists, applied 



* Italics mine. — E. G. B, 



