1914.] 85 



and is of a pitchy brown or black colour, with two yellowish-testaceous 

 spots on each elytron. In some of the specimens in the British Museum 

 (from Southern Europe) these spots, extending- across the whole width 

 of the elytron, unite and form a fascia, and this probably suggested 

 the name bifasciatus. In our series, however, consisting of over sixty 

 specimens, there is very little variation in the size of the spots, and in 

 no case is there any suggestion of a fascia. 



De la Ferte in his monograph of the genus (Monographie des 

 Anthicus et genres voisins, p. 155), gives the following diagnosis, from 

 which it is evident that he considered the spotted form the more usual : 

 " nigro-piceus nitidus, sat profunde punctatus, vix pubescens ; thorace 

 postice rufo ; elytris maculis duabus flavis ; antennarum basis, tibiis 

 tarsisque testaceis." 



The insect was found in considerable numbers in old manure 

 heaps in the neighbourhood of Chatteris, Cambridgeshire ; it was not 

 confined to a single heap, but was taken in several, a mile distant from 

 each other, and must certainly be distributed over a wide area in this 

 immediate locality. 



Anthicus bifasciatus, according to de la Ferte, is known from 

 Central and Southern Europe, France, Switzerland, Austria, and 

 Germany as far north as Darmstadt ; but it is probable that the 

 records of its range have been widely extended since the author wrote 

 his monograph (1848). 



We are indebted to Mr. G-. C. Champion for identifying the 

 species, and to Mr. K. CI. Blair for kindly forwarding specimens to 

 Herr von Krekich, an authority on the genus, who agreed in its 

 determination. 



The Priory, Chatteris : 



March, 1914. 



COLEOPTERA IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE AND HUNTINGDONSHIRE. 



BY H. FORTESCUE FRYER, F.E.S. 



{Continued from p. 13). 



BuPRESTID^. 



Agrilus laticornis, 111.* — Chatteris. 



Elaterid-s:. 



Lacon murinus, L. — Chatteris, Hoi woods. Melanotus rufipes, Hbst.— 

 generally distributed Athous niger, L— Chatteris, Wicken, Warboys ; longi- 

 collis, 01. — Chatteris, Holwoods, Horseway ; hxmorrhoidalis, F., and vittatus, F. 



