KETROSPECT OF A COLEOPTERIST FOR 190G. 29 



Retrospect of a Coleopterist for 1906. 



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



The increase to our list during the past year has not been of 

 so remarkable a character as that which I had to record for the year 

 1905, nevertheless, several most unexpected and striking additions 

 have been made, altogether no fewer than twelve species and four 

 varieties have been added to our list. 



Hydrochus nitidicollis, Muls. — Recorded by Mr. H. St. J. Donisthorpe 

 (Fnt. Record, xviii., p. 133) ; the insect was taken in the River Meavy, 

 near Plymouth, on April 13th last. 



Dinarda pygmaea, Wasm., is another of Mr. Donisthorpe's records 

 (loc. cit., p. 217). The species was taken by Mr. Keys in Cornwall 

 some two or three years ago, and was originally named for him as 

 dentata, Grv. ; it occurs with Formica rujibarbis var. fusco-rufibarbis, 

 For. In introducing the species Mr. Donisthorpe gave a useful table 

 showing the relationship of the Dinarda family to their various hosts. 



Lomechusa strumosa, F. (loc. cit., p. 159). — -This is certainly the 

 most interesting addition to our list during the past year, and Mr. 

 Donisthorpe is to be congratulated on the success which has attended 

 his careful work amongst myrmecophilous coleoptera. Single specimens 

 of this beautiful beetle have been twice taken in this country before, 

 but nearly 200 years have elapsed since the first of these records, and 

 the beetle has long disappeared from our list. Mr. Donisthorpe's 

 specimens were captured at Woking with Formica sanguinea, the first 

 specimen being taken on May 25th, and six others on the 29th. 



Homalota parado.va, Rey (Ent. Mo. Ma<j., xlii., p. 201). — This 

 is one of the several additions due to the good work which Dr. 

 Joy has recently been doing in regard to the coleopterous inhabitants 

 of the nests of birds and small mammals. The insect occurred in 

 moles' nests ; two ^specimens had been taken some years ago by Mr. 

 Champion, but the capture had never been put on record. 



Quedius reams, Epp. (loc. cit., p. 200). — This addition, also due to 

 Dr. Joy, is a very characteristic moles' nest species, and, in recording 

 its occurrence, Dr. Joy gave a table which will be found very useful 

 in identifying the species of the group of Quedius with red elytra and 

 unicolorous antenme. 



Lathrobium laevipenne, Heer (loc. cit., p. 55). — This record is due 

 to Mr. W. E. Sharp, who captured a single specimen near Oxted in 

 August 1905 ; it belongs to the red- winged group. Mr. Sharp gave a 

 number of characters by which it could be distinguished from its close 

 allies. 



Euplectus tomlini, Joy (loc. cit., p. 99). — Dr. Joy took sixteen 

 examples of this species in February last in an old starling's nest, and 

 subsequently bred others from the same nest. The species could not 

 be identified with any known European forms, and Dr. Joy has, 

 therefore, described it as new to science ; it is apparently a well-marked 

 species, abundantly distinct from other British members of the genus. 



( urticaria crenicollis, Mannh. (Ent. Record, xviii., p. 276). — This 

 is another of the numerous records of Dr. Joy. The species was taken 

 at Basildon, Berkshire, in August last, from dead and quite dry oak 

 branches ; Mr. Pool has also taken the species at Epping, under bark. 

 On examining the "Power collection," Dr. Joy found specimens of this 

 February 15th, 1907. 



