COLEOPTERA. 103 



rounded at the apex, though to a less degree than those of the suture. 

 T. festiicae and T. nereu are separable by the difference in the form of 

 the antennae ; these are not easy to appreciate in the first instance, 

 and, in my own experience, the form of the third joint of the funiculus 

 affords a iDetter index character to the differences in question than that 

 of the second. The distinctive character of the three species might be 

 tabulated as follows : — 



1 (4) Scales of elytra, including those of the sutural interstices, more 



or less broad, rounded at the apex. 



2 (3) Third joint of funiculus distinctly oblong, about one-half longer 



than broad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Festiicae. 



3 (2) Third joint of funiculus transverse, or about as long as broad. . Nereis. 



4 (1) Scales of elytra, exclusive of those on the sutural interstices, 



narrow, pointed at the apex (hair-like) . . . . . . Scirrhosus. 



I may add that I have taken T. scirrJiomis by the Thames and Severn 

 canal at Daneway, Gloucestershire, and the other two species in East 

 Norfolk, T. nereis by the river Yare at Brundall, and T. festucae in 

 several localities. — J. Edwards, F.E.S., Colesborne, Cheltenham. 

 March 15th, 1905. 



Melanophthalma transversalis, Gyll., a species new to Britain. 

 — Hitherto only the var. irollaatojii, Wat., has been recorded from 

 Britain. Tt was first taken by Wollaston, at Mablethorpe, in Lincoln- 

 shire, and later Canon Fowler took it in the same locality in numbers. 

 It has also been recorded from Sheerness, Darenth, Chatham, South- 

 end, Kingsgate, Weymouth, Devonshire, and co. Cork, and I have 

 taken it at Wicken Fen. I am now recording the type form transver- 

 salis, Gyll., itself, which I took on October 15th last, under vegetable 

 refuse at Pevensey, at the same spot where I took Dibolia cijnoglossi 

 two years ago. Herr Reitter has confirmed the identification. M. 

 transversalis appears to be a very variable insect, as there are no fewer 

 than eight named varieties in the last European catalogue. The var. 

 irollastoni is a little larger and broader than the type. — -Horace Donis- 

 THORPE, F.E.S. March 20th, 1905. 



Nebria gyllenhali, Sch., var. rufescens, Strcem., a British 

 VARIETY. — The var. rufescens, Stroera {arctica,D].), is the form with the 

 elytra, and sometimes the legs, red. In the Ent. liecurd for 1903, p. 

 262, I recorded the fact that a red form of Nebria (jyllenhali, which is 

 quite mature, occurs in the shingle of the Gelt river, in Cumberland, 

 and it is this variety. It also occurs in Scotland, and must, therefore, 

 be added to the British list.— Ibid. 



OcALEA LATiPENNis, Shp., IN SuRREY. — In June last I took a speci- 

 men of this rare " Staph.," at Chiddingfold, at the spot where Qaedius 

 kraatzii occurs. It has been recorded from Tonbridge, Manchester, 

 Hartlepool, banks of Irthing and Mersey, Scarborough, Wallington, 

 Northumberland, Scotland (rare), and Ireland, Armagh. — Ibid. 



A winter's day at hay- stack REFUSE IN THE ISLE OF ShEPPEY. 



As I had to be in London for a few days in the middle of February I 

 arranged with Mr. Donisthorpe to spend Sunday, February 12th, at 

 Sheerness. The weather was bright, sunny, and promising for collect- 

 ing, and as we had heard there had been heavy ffoods during the 

 exceptionally high tides earlier in the winter, we expected to find 

 plenty of flood refuse, but, unfortunately, in this we were disappointed, 

 as on making our way on Sunday morning from Queenborough station 

 along the railway line to the Iwade marshes, we found that, although 



