RETROSPECT OF A COLEOPTERIST FOR 1904. 29 



Retrospect of a Coleopterlst for 1904. 



By Prof. T. HUDSON BEARE, B.Sc, F.K.S.E., F.E.S. 



In uiv " retrospect" for 1903, I was able to chronicle the addition 

 of no less than nine species to our list, and, as an equal number had 

 been added in 1902, one hardly expected that we could i\eep up this 

 rate ; in the past year, however, the increase has been seven, and it is 

 certainly an unexpected pleasure to have to record the fact that another 

 fine lon,L;icorn has been added to our scanty list of this group of beetles. 

 Criocephalvs rusticus, Dj. — Although the capture of this new longi- 

 corn has only been generally made known by the note published by 

 Dr. Sharp and Mr. T. Gilbert Smith in the Ent. Mo. Ma;!., xli., p. 15, 

 yet, as the details of the capture were given by Col. Yerbury himself, 

 at a meeting of the Entomological Society of London in December, I 

 think we are entitled to credit this addition to our list to the year 1904. 

 The place in which it was captured, Nethy Bridge, Invernessshire, 

 precludes any possibility of it having been an importation, and it is a 

 strange fact that two species of this genus, hitherto unknown to our 

 fauna, should have been added within a couple of years. Euconnus 

 MAKLixi, Man.— This small Eucohhks was taken by Dr. Joy, near 

 Bradfield, Berkshire, in July 1901. The exact circumstances under 

 which it was taken are not known, but it was probably obtained by 

 sifting decaying leaves ; a description of the species is given by Dr. 

 Joy {Ent. Mo. Mail., vol. xl., p. 6). Agathidium badium, Er. — Dr. 

 Chaster of Southport added this species to our list {Ivnt. Record, vol. 

 xvi., p. 18). The specimen was taken under bark at Palterdale, Lake 

 UUeswater, in September 1903, and the discoverer gives characters 

 for identifying the species. Longitarsus cijrtus, A1. — Mr. Tomlin 

 recorded {Ent. }[o. Ma}/., vol. xl., p. 60) the fact that he had taken 

 this species sparingly in the Isle of Man, in September 1903, at Colby. 

 It was identified by M. Bedel. Mr. Tomlin says that it has very much 

 the appearance of a miniature nwlaitocephalns. In another note on 

 " Manx Coleoptera," {L c. p. 177), Mr. Tomlin gives further details of 

 the capture and of the synonymy of this species, with a description 

 and a note as to the localities on the Continent from which it has been 

 recorded. He also states that he finds he has taken it at Ballycastle, 

 CO. Antrim, Ireland. C.\tops sericatus, Chaud. — Mr. Champion states 

 {Ent. Mo. Mai/., vol. xl., p. 78) that we have hitherto confused two 

 species in British collections under the name Catopn sericens, Pz. ; he 

 points out that one of these is sericatus, an insect new, therefore, to 

 our list. Characters are given in Mr. Champion's note separating this 

 species from sericeus, and, from the number of localities in which it has 

 been taken, it appears to be widely distributed in Great Britain. 

 AuLONiuM SULCATUM, 01. — For the introduction of this rare beetle to 

 our list, we are indebted to Mr. C J. C. Pool {Ent. llecord, vol. xvi., 

 p. 310), who found the insect in all its stages inhabiting the burrows 

 of Scob/tus iiiitltistriatiis, Marsh., in elm bark at Enfield, in July, 1904. 

 It is a fine and interesting addition to our fauna. I gave an account 

 of the synonymy of this insect and a description of it in the same 

 volume, p. 310. Ocyusa nigrata. Fair. — j\Ir. Newbery introduces {Hnt. 

 Mo. Maij., vol. xl., p. 250) this small Staphylinid to our list. The 

 specimen was taken by Mr. Morley in a sand-martin's hole in a .sand- 

 pit at Leviugton, Suftblk, in June, 1900. In introducing the species. 



Fbbruary 15th, 1905. 



