1866.] 156 



much more transverse apical joints of its antennae. The structure of 

 the antennae, indeed, appears to separate this insect from any of its 

 allies ; the basal joint being clear testaceous, the second more or less 

 pitchy, longer and much stouter than the third, which, with the rest, 

 is pitchy-black ; the fourth shorter than the third ; the fifth, sixth, and 

 seventh gradually getting wider, and the eighth, ninth, and tenth 

 widening towards the apex, and exceedingly transverse, the apical joint 

 being suddenly blunt, wide, and about half as long again as the penul- 

 timate. 



From Erichson's description of B. pallipes that insect must some- 

 what resemble B.fusdpes, but would appear to difier from it in its 

 lighter coloured legs and thinner antennae ; Erichson, moreover, states 

 that pallipes differs from opacus (apart from colour, and amongst other 

 characters) in its longer elytra, and in not having a transverse impres- 

 sion between the eyes. B. fuscipes, compared with opacus, has elytra 

 of the same length, and a very decided frontal transverse impression. 



In company with Mr. D. Sharp, I took a large number of specimens 

 of this insect in a damp sandy place on the shores of the Frith of 

 Forth near Aberlady in June last. 



It was associated with Bembidium pallidipenne and Bledius arena- 

 rius ; but appeared to be absolutely burrowing in the damp sand below 

 the surface. A few stragglers ran about quickly in the hot sunshine, 

 but the majority were obtained by raking up the wet sand. 



Occwrrence of a Bemhid/iwin new to Britain. 



Bembidium quadrisignatum, Dofts., Faun. Austr., ii., 205, 16 (Elaphrus quadri- 

 signatios) ; Schaum, Er. Ids. Deutschl., i., 748, 4. 



It has again fallen to the lot of my friend, Mr. T. J. Bold, of Newcastlo-on- 

 Tyne, to detect a Geodephagous species new to Britain, and, curiously enough, in 

 the same genus and section (Tacky s) as Fockii, recently added by him to our lists. 



Mr. Bold has sent me a single specimen of a Bembidium, captured by himself 

 near Newcastle, and of which he has accurately observed the diagnostic characters. 

 This insect, after much consideration, I refer to B. quadrisignatum,, Dufts. ; which, 

 in its normal condition, is decidedly larger than B. histriatum, more or less pitchy- 

 black, with two roundish spots on each elytron (one beneath the shoulder and the 

 other just before the apex), the base of the antennae, and the legs, testaceous, the 

 tibiae in the darkest specimens being sometimes dusky in the middle. Mr. Bold's 

 insect is scarcely larger than B. histriatum, reddish-brown, with the spots on the 

 elytra consequently not well contrasted against the ground colour, and only 

 distinct in certain lights (but still evident), and the base of antennae, and legs 

 entirely, pale : I was, therefore, at first disposed to hesitate in referring it to B. 

 quadrisignatum, but now have no doubt as to its being that species, since it accords 



