G8 [AugUMt, 



I have only a single specimen of Sci/mnus limbatus (the only one of our generally 

 received species with which it can be confused) to compare with S. Eedtenbacheri ; 

 this is a type specimen from Mr. Rye's collection, kindly lent me by Mr. Mason : 

 the two species may at once be distinguished by their very different, shape, and by 

 the colour of their legs ; according to Mulsant, this latter character is not always to 

 be depended upon, but it is most marked in the specimens before me, S. limbatus 

 having dark pitchy legs with yellowish tarsi, and the legs of S. Eedtenbacheri entirely 

 of a light yellow colour ; the almost round shape of S. limbatus, however, compared 

 with the long-oval shape of S. Eedtenbacheri, affords a character by which the two 

 species can be easily distinguished. 



There are two other species of Scymnus which have been put forward for a place 

 in the British list, viz., S. lividus, Bold, and 5'. arcuatus, Rossi. 



The claim of the former species rests on a single example found on the Northum- 

 berland coast by Mr. Bold, which, from the description (Ent. Annual, 1872, p. 91), 

 will probably turn out to be only a variety of one of the known species, which are 

 very variable. 



With regard to S. arcuatus, a single specimen was brushed out of old ivy near 

 Market Bosworth by Mr. Wollaston, who had previously found it in some numbers 

 in Madeira. It is placed in the European list between S. Guimeti, Muls., and S. 

 impextis, Muls. It appears to be a very distinct species, "the elytra having in com- 

 mon two horse-shoe shaped whitish-yellow lines, open towards the front, and of 

 •which the lower encloses the upper " (Ent. Annual, 1873, 33). 



Many of the Scymni are so obscure, and apparently vary so much, if we may 

 judge from Mulsant's long descriptions (Cole'opteres de France, Scymnierid. pp. 

 210 — 266), that it is quite possible we may have several more of the described 

 European species in Britain. 



While mentioning Mr. Bold's S. lividus, it may perhaps not be out of place to 

 ask if any Colcopterist knows what has become of Mr. Bold's collection. Anchome- 

 nus quadripunctatus, De Gr., and Tachys quadrisignatits, Duft., rest, as British, on 

 single specimens taken by Mr. Bold very many years ago. There is no reason why 

 a species should not be admitted on a single specimen ; but if, after the lapse of a 

 large number of years, no further specimen has been found, it is but reasonable to 

 conclude that in some way or other the species may have been imported, or that 

 some mistake may have been made. With regard to Tachys quadrisignatus, it ap- 

 pears to be quite probable that, after all, Mr. Bold's insect may be a light variety of 

 the common T. bistriatus, especially as the former insect, according to Du Yal, is 

 very variable.- -W. W. Fowler, Lincoln : July 7th, 1882. 



Polystichus vittatus and other Coleoptera near Hastings. — I have pleasure 

 in announcing that I have taken a single example of the former at Pett beach, a 

 locality certainly seven miles from Bopeep. Although I worked hard for about two 

 hours, I failed to get more. My brother, Mr. H. F. Collett, obtained for me Trox 

 sabulosus by turning up the soil under a dead rabbit, in Guestling Wood. I am 

 just now taking Athous difformis plentifully of an evening under my dining room 

 window. One evening, between 8.30 and 9.30, 1 got as many as 14 ! — E. P. Collett, 

 St. Leonards-on-Sea : July ISfh, 18S2. 



