124 



[June, 



19. ViNCENZELLUS Eeitt. 



Type, Blnnoswnis viridipenvis Latr., an insect that has been the 

 source of endless confusion owing to its similarity in coloiu- with B. rufi- 

 collis L. Indeed, its inclusion in BJiinosimus at all seems to be wholly 

 due to this similarity. 



In 1868, Schmidt-Goebel (Stett. Ent. Zeit. xxix, p. 380) published 

 a very useful paper clearing up the synonymy of these two species, and 

 stated that B. viridipennis was a true Saljjingus (SpJiaeriesfes). While 

 this conclusion remains open to question, it certainly does seem clear that 

 it is not a BJiinosimus, and that a separate genus is required for its 

 reception. It may be noted in passing, that Schmidt- Groebel, in the 

 paper above cited, while referring to Antlirihus rohoris F. (Ent. Syst., 

 Suppl. 1798, p. 161, and Syst. Eleuth. i, 1801, p. 410), omits any 

 reference to the earlier Ourctdio rohoris F. (Mantissa Insect, i, 1787, 

 p. 100). This latter insect is certainly not the Antlirihus rohoris of 

 the later works {=B. viridipennis Latr.), but is the species redescribed 

 by Paykull (1792) {= B. ruficollis L.), and should be included among 

 its synonyms. 



Evidence has recently been brought forward by Hardy (" Lancashire 

 Naturalist," viii, 1916, p. 344) to prove that Y. viridipennis Latr. and 

 B. rtificollis L. are merely sexes of the same species, the latter being 

 the $ , Sharp and Muir, however, describe the genitalia of the 6 of 

 B. riiJicoUis, and on dissecting specimens I have found both sexes 

 of each of them. 



B. aeneirostris Mannerh. and B. anthracinus Fairm. and Germ, 

 both come within this genus. 



B. valdivianus Phil, is apparently very similar {ex descr.) to 

 B. anthracinus, but has a longer rostrum and a 3-jointed club to the 

 antennae, and consequently would seem to require a new genus inter- 

 mediate between Neosalpingus and Blatysalpingus. 



London. 



March 1919. 



A NOTE ON THE BRITISH SPECIES OF SPHAEBIDIUM. 

 BY D. SHARP, M.A., F.R.S. 



Five years ago Dr. Joy pointed out that we have three species of 

 Sphaeridium in England, although only two are recognised as European 

 by recent writers. In coming to this conclusion he relied on the form of 

 the jnale genitalia, but he also pointed out other characters of the exterior 



