1917.) 85 



DiffAscus dimidiatus Bergstr. in Somersetshire. — A correspondent, Mr. C. P. 

 Hixrst, of Treowen, Berron Road, Burnham, Somerset, has forwarded for 

 identification a, female specimen of this beetle taken )iy him near Wedmorc, 

 N. Somerset. The capture is of considei'able interest, as the only localities 

 given by Fowler are the Fen district, and Askham Bog in Yorkshire, in both of 

 which the insect has been taken in some numbers. Mr. Hnrst's specimen was 

 taken in a watercourse, but he writes that the place where he found it " must 

 originally have been a fen (it was on the Somerset 'Levels')," and suggests 

 that the beetle is perhaps a survival from former times. — K. G. Blair, British 

 Museum (Natural History) : March 6th, 1917. 



Zygogramma exclamationis F., a North American Chrysomelid, imported. — In 

 November, 1914, I received a number of living specimens of Zygogramma ex- 

 (.-lamationis F., which had been imported from Colorado with seeds of the red 

 suniiower. Mr. Tomlin kindly identified them for me. — F. W. Cocks, 26, Crown 

 Street, Reading : February 1st, 1917. 



A few notes on Rhynchites. — Mr. James Edwards' interesting paper on 

 Rhynchites ophthalmicus Steph., etc., in the Janiiary and February niunbers of 

 this Magazine has induced me to write the following brief notes : 



-R. ophthalmicus Steph. : in a collection of Eui'opean Coleoptera possessed 

 by the late F. Bates, specimens of R. sericeus Herbst were present. These were 

 violet in coloiu-, and would agree with Stephens' description of ophthalmicus. 

 Certainly I liave never seen any British insects like these. R. bctulae L. (betu- 

 leti F.) : I have captured this species at Chiddingfold, Darenth Wood, Guest- 

 ling, etc. On the whole, I have found the green form more plentifvil. I possess 

 specimens which are all green; green, with a coppery rostrum, head, and 

 thorax ; green, with only the rostrum coppery ; and green, with a coppery head 

 and rostrum, and golden thorax. Both blue and green J ^ occur, though I 

 have heard it suggested that this is not the case. R. populi L. .- only green 

 specimens of this usually occur, biit Mr. O. E. Janson took a nmnber of blue 

 ones at Sidcup ; I have only found the green form at Bexley. R. aeneovirens ab. 

 fragariae Gyll. : I captvired a specimen of this aberration at Rossbeigh, Co. 

 Kerry, in June, 1902, and recorded it as " a curiously coloured specimen " (Irish 

 Nat., XII, p. 64, 1903). R. interpunctatus Steph. : I have beaten this species not 

 uncommonly off young oaks in Buddon Wood, Leicestershire, when with my 

 friend Mr. Bouskell, who discovered it there ; I have also found it in Sherwood 

 Forest. R. coeruleus De G. (conicus Th.) : this species I have always found 

 very rare ; I have taken it in the New Forest, and the Blean Woods. — Horace 

 DoNisTiiORPE, Durandesthorpe, 19, Hazlewell Road, Putney, S.W. : February 

 14th, 1917. 



Enquiry respecting Birch Wood, Kent. — I shall be glad if anyone can give 

 me any infoimation respecting the precise whereabouts of the celebrated old 

 locality. Birch Wood, where R. bacchus is said to have occurred. The late 

 lamented Mr. C. O. Waterhouse told me within the last year or two that he had 



