258 fApril, 



the legs which are toothed, and the size of the tooth ;— and noting differences of 

 colour so close as the following (thorax) " niger, cserulescenti sub-micans," — "nigro- 

 ceerulescens, certo situ seneo-micans," &c., &c. It is, therefore, to say the least, 

 improbable that he who could see and describe so well, and had just noted the 

 corresponding parts of the nearest species, should intend his description of sutu- 

 rellus to fit our insect. 



Types may be allowed to corroborate imperfect descriptions (though even that 

 much has been questioned as regards the Stephensian species) ; but it is sm-ely out 

 of all reason that they are to negative an accurate one. It is possible, however, that 

 some mistakes may have been made with Schonherr's type ; we see, at all events, 

 that so good a Coleopterist as the Rev. H. Clark had confused the very insect in 

 question. — E. C. R.] 



Note on Stenus debilis. — Having observed that Herr Kaspar Dietrich (Beitrag 

 zur Kenntniss der Insekten Fauna des Kantons Ziirich, 1865) makes no mention of 

 Stenus dehilis in his list, and that he gives S. opacus, Er., without any comment 

 (beyond a note, questioning the identity of that insect with S. carhoncvrius, a doubt 

 previously expressed by myself in Ent. Ann. 1865), I have communicated with that 

 gentleman, with reference to the existence of S. debilis as a species, and received 

 the following reply : — "The S. opacus of my Beitrag is certainly no other than the 

 St. dehilis, Diet., in litt., as you very rightly anticipated. I omitted any reference 

 to the latter name, as I imagined it was only known to Dr. Kraatz." 



It may be remembered by our readers that the insect hitherto (and, as it 

 appears, correctly) known as S. opacus in England was forwai'ded by Mr. E. W. 

 Janson to Dr. Kraatz, who returned it as probably S. dehilis ; an opinion obligingly 

 communicated to me by the former gentleman. From this circumstance, and the 

 above-mentioned confusion of synonomy, I am inclined to believe that the S. opacus 

 of Erichson was not at that time recognised on the Continent. — E. C. Rye, 284, 

 King's Road, Chelsea. 



Occurrence of Hylurgus pilosus. — Among some insects lately sent to me for 

 examination by my friend Mr. J. Sidebotham, of Manchester, I found three 

 examples of a small wood-feeder, which I am inclined to refer to this species 

 fRatzeburg, Forstins., p. 178, T. vii., 4), and which were taken by that gentleman at 

 Milldingle, Beaumaris, in 1865. 



These insects are rather less than Rylastes ohscurus, Marsh., and somewhat of 

 the shape of H. opacus, being elongate, narrowed, and very nearly parallel, though 

 the elytra are slightly widest at their lower third. The elytra are yellowish-brown : 

 the thorax being somewhat darker, but lighter in front ; the head small and black, 

 with long yellow hairs between the eyes, and a very fine medial frontal elevated 

 line ; and the antennae and legs brownish-yellow, — the former with the club 

 darkish (a character at variance with Ratzeburg's description). The thorax is 

 longer than broad, almost imperceptibly constricted in front, and clothed with 

 short depressed stout grey haii-s. The elytra have the basal margin rounded from 

 the sides to the scutellum, elevated, thickened, and crenulated ; they are evenly 

 punctate-striate, the interstices (wliich are rather wide) being pubescent, and set 



