SCYMNUS LIMONII, N.SP. A SPKCIES NEW TO SCIENCE. 287 



piceus, Tapliria niraUi>, Oci/piis brunnipes, Ci/cJints rostratua and Carabiis 

 catenulatiis. Hi/drori/pJton (h'flexicolUa was abundant on alders near 

 Crafnant Lake, and, by working the moss on boulders in a stream from 

 Dolgarog waterfall, Hi/ilmjinriDi rirolis and H. litiiratiif;, as well as 

 Hydraena (jracilis, were obtained, a single specimen of (iniipc'ta coendea 

 being swept close by. I have been induced to insert many common 

 species in the above list since the coleoptcra of North Wales are by no 

 means well-known. — -E. A. Newbeby, 12, Churchill Road, N.W. October 

 2Sth, 1903. 



Scymnus limonii, n.sp.— A Species New to Science. 



By H. ST. .J. K. DONISTHORPE, F.Z.S., F.L.S., F.E.S. 



On August 15th last, whilst collecting in a salt-marsh at Yarmouth, 

 in the Isle of Wight, I swept from Staticc liwonium a four-spotted Scymnus 

 which was unknown to me. Mr. Malcolm Burr, who was with me, 

 found another specimen at the roots of the sea-lavender, with the spots 

 continent. As there was nothing like it at the British Museum, I 

 sent both specimens to Herr Weise, who returned them to me as 

 unknown to him. I exhibited them at the meeting of the Entomo- 

 logical Society on October 7th, as a new species. Mr. Champion told 

 me he had specimens like them, and he has kindly lent me a nice series 

 which he took in the Isle of Sheppey, and which were in his collection 

 among his series of S. muhanti, Waterhouse. It is noteworthy that 

 he took his specimens also in a salt-marsh, whilst looking for Apioii 

 Unionii at the roots of sea-lavender. This suggests the specific name of 

 limonii . It comes nearest to iiiahanti, Wat., and rcdtenbacheri, Muls. 



From the former it differs in having the post-coxal fovese with raised 

 sides incomplete, very nearly as in redtenhacheri, whereas in midsanti 

 they form a more or less complete semicircle round the posterior coxae, 

 in the colour of the femora, which are always dark, the legs being 

 entirely testaceous in that species, and in the abdomen being entirely 

 black, instead of red at the apex, moreover, the punctuation of the 

 elytra is much stronger. 



From the latter it differs in being considerably larger, more convex and 

 more rounded at the sides, and in having the punctuation of the elytra 

 stronger ; also, even where the spots are confluent, they do not form a 

 band, but are always bent inwards, in the middle, whereas, in redtenbacheri, 

 the bands on the elytra are simple. As regards colour it is a very 

 variable species, ranging from quite black, as in one of Mr. Champion's 

 specimens, to black with four yellow spots, or, in some specimens, 

 as we have seen, with the spots confluent ; the femora are always 

 dark and in some cases quite black, in one of mine from the Isle of 

 Wight they are jet black. The following is a short description of 

 the species. 



S. LIMONII, n.sp. — Broad oval, convex, black with white pubescence ; antennoe 

 and palpi testaceous ; head with labrum, black ; thorax black with base narrower 

 than base of elytra, giving the appearance of a shoulder to the latter ; elytra black, 

 or black with four yellow spots, the posterior pair being always the larger, or with 

 the spots confluent, coarsely punctured, the punctures consisting of larger and 

 smaller punctures mixed together in about equal proportions ; underside entirely 

 black, the post-coxal fovea with raised side incomplete ; femora dark or quite 

 black ; tibise and tarsi testaceous. L. l^mm.-lfmm. 



This species must be one of the ground-feeders, which prey on the 

 aphides on the roots of sea-lavender or other salt-marsh plants. 



