Heterostethus pictus, Schwarz. — In the Deutsche entoni. Zeitschrift, 1896, Heft 

 1, p. 147 (May), a supposed new genus and species of Elateridre is characterized by 

 llerr O. Schwarz under the name of Heterostethus pictus, based upon two specimens 

 from Paraguay. The insect in question is certainly referable to Cryptohypnus 

 squamifer, Cand., for which the generic name Agrypnella was proposed by myself in 

 December last (Biol. Centr.-Ara., Col. Ill, 1, pp. 414, 415, t. 18, flgg. 21, 21a, b). 

 Its characters have been fully described and figured by me. Agrypnella squamifera 

 is a widely distributed insect in the warmer parts of America, but apparently every- 

 where rare, ranging from Guatemala to Monte Video, and also occurring at Grenada 

 in the West Indies. The type (described by Candeze in 1864) was found at Para by 

 Bates, who also met with another species of tiie same genus (C. elurnea, Champ.) 

 at Santarem. Agrypnella seems to me to be more nearly allied to the Agrypnini 

 (near Meristhus) than to the Cryptohypniin. Its most important characters were 

 overlooked by Dr. Candeze. — G. C. Champion, Horsell, Woking: June \3fk, 1890. 



Ischnomera saiiguinii-ollis, Fab., at West Clandon, near Gnildford. — On the 

 evening of the 28th of last month (May) I swept a single specimen of this beetle off 

 some low growing elm in the road leading from the Clandon railway station to West 

 Clandon Church. Tliis is, I believe, a new locality for it. It has been recorded 

 from Coombe Wood and Windsor Forest; Bristol, Ireland and New Forest by 

 Stephens ; and in the last locality it occurs, I believe, annually, though rarely. 

 Windsor Park (Turner) and Sherwood Forest (Blatch) are the only other localities 

 given by Fowler in his British Coleoptera ; so that a fresh locality may be of 

 interest to Coleopterists. Unfortunately further search failed to produce another 

 specimen. — Edward Saunders, St. Ann's, Woking: June HHh, 1896. 



Honey Bees destroyed hy wood onfs (Formica rufa). — An interesting instance 

 of the destructive powers of the large wood ant has been lately brought to my 

 notice. A friend of mine living at Long Cro.ss, near Chertsey, has had two hives of 

 bees entirely destroyed by these little creatures, and a third was only saved by the 

 gardener opening the hive and taking the ants out with his hands, during which 

 process my friend tells me the bees did not attempt to resist his intrusion, but 

 seemed quite to realize that what was being done was for their benefit. I have not 

 before heard of a case like this, but possibly in some other pine wood districts where 

 F. rufa is more abundant, it may bo well known that they are dangerous neighbours 

 to bee keepers^. — Id. 



'■'■Flies riding on beetle-lucky — The interesting note on this subject by the 

 Rev. A. E. Eaton (p. 139 ante) has induced me to look up my old Mediterranean 

 journal, in which I remembered having entered an observation of the same natuiv. 

 Under date of September lUth, 1874, at Tangier, is the following note :— " The large 

 punctured Ateuchus {oariolosus, F.) observed at Gibraltar was not rare here (on the 

 sandhills to the eastward of the town), occurring in holes in the sand, crawling 

 about and on the wing. I caught one flying, and was greatly surprised to sec that. 

 instead of mites, as in the case of our Qeotrupes stercorarius, &c., it was covered 

 wi.th minute black flies, which were evidently using this (to them) gigantic creature 



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