76 [April, 



AN EXCURSION TO SOUTHERN TUNISIA, WITH NOTES ON 

 SOME OF THE COLEOPTERA, &c, MET WITH. 



BY G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. 

 {Concluded from p. 55.) 

 Kaieouan. — On the plain outside the walls of the city, and 

 about the Opuntia hedges, Ocnera, Pimelia, Blaps, Akis, and the like 

 abounded in their usual objectionable pabulum ; and Calosoma ma- 

 derse, F., Scarites sp., and Acinopus sp., &c, occurred under stones. 

 Many small forms were obtained by sweeping low plants about the 

 cultivated ground ; and in the marshy places, where we noticed not a 

 few tortoises, several Cicindelse (G. lemnosticta, Fairm., C. littorea, 

 Forsk., &c.) were not rare, and a remarkable sluggish Stratiomyid 

 Dipteron, Nemotelus proboscideus, Loew, was in profusion. In a 

 sandy spot hereabouts, Dr. Santschi was kind enough to introduce 

 me to the peculiar Thor ictus (apparently pauciseta, Wasm.) which is 

 carried about on the scape of the antennae of the workers of the ex- 

 cessively active ant, Myrmecocystus viaticus. For two days on this 

 Kairouan plain we were greatly tormented by the attacks of a sand- 

 fly (Simtdium), collecting on the hill of Djebel Baten, &c, being almost 

 impossible on this account. 



Sbeitla. — Here we spent nearly all our time about the ruins, 

 which proved to be very productive ground, though on the third day 

 the wind was so violent as to prevent the use of the sweeping net. 

 Amongst or beneath the stones, where scorpions were unpleasantly 

 numerous, the following beetles were observed : — Cymindis sp., com- 

 monly ; Adelphinus stituralis, Luc. (a winged Helopid) , in all its 

 varieties, in abundance, the discrepancy in size and colour between the 

 two sexes being remarkable ; one or two species of Adesmia in plenty ; 

 Microtelus lethierryi, Eeiche, Adelostmna sp., a Micipsa, Pimelia 

 semiopaca, Senac (?) (a common species at Sfax), an Erodius, a 

 Zophosis, a Pachychila, Cardiojjhorus scapularis, Bhytirrhinus sp., 

 Hypera, Jtdodis, Timarcha, &c. A fine metallic green, coarsely punc- 

 tate Buprestid (Aurigena sp.) was not uncommon on a particular 

 plant, and on the flowers of Cruciferse, &c, were to be seen, in more or 

 less abundance, a large black Mijlabris, Omophlus coeruleus F., Hoplia 

 pnbicollis, Kiist., and many other species. Among the Hemiptera, 

 Putonia torrida, Stal, was to be found commonly by sweeping, and 

 Crocistethus waltli, Fieb., in all its stages under stones. Unfortunately 

 the banks of the stream and the adjacent low hills were not investi- 

 gated for want of time. From camel's dung by the roadside many 



