1908.] 247 



Mr. Chitty took it in the same country, and T captured one, certainly 

 not in a mole's nest, in Ross-shire last year. It seems strange that 

 the species should apparently not require a mole's nest for a home in 

 Scotland, as I think it improbable that these were chance captures 

 of specimens bred in moles' nests, the insect having never been taken 

 away from a nest in England. It would be interesting to compare 

 the $ genitalia of Scotch and English specimens. 



Homalota paradoxa, Rev. — Apparently this is not a common 

 species. It has occurred at Bradfield very sparingly, but Mr. Chitty 

 found it "abundantly " in one nest at Oxford ; and it has also been 

 taken at Huntingfield, Kent (Chitty) and Guildford (Champion). 



Heterothops nigra, Kr., appears to be the commonest species 

 wherever moles' nests have been examined, but I did not meet with 

 it in the two nests I found near Strathpeffer, Ross-shire, last year. 

 As H. previa, Er., has not been taken in a mole's nest, it is now 

 abundantly clear that these two are distinct species. 



Qtjedius longicornis, Kr. — Mr. P. Harwood first took five 

 specimens of this species in a mole's nest at Newbury as long ago as 

 November, 190G, and shortly afterwards I came across it near Brad- 

 field. Since then it has been observed in nests at Woking and 

 Guildford (Champion), Oxford (Walker), and Oulton Broad (Donis- 

 tlwrpe). It has also been taken in moles' runs by Mr. Donisthorpe, 

 and in Suffolk (Morley), Great Salkeld (Britten), and Southampton 

 (Pool). The insect is fairly common in nests at Bradfield in January 

 and February, a large proportion of the specimens being then im- 

 mature. The fact that it has been found somewhat commonly in the 

 runs of the mole and " abroad," makes it probable that Q. longicornis 

 leaves the nest after hatching out much more readily than does 

 Q. veccans. Fully mature dark specimens more closely resemble 

 Q. vexans during life than one would suppose, the difference in the 

 length of the antenna? not being conspicuous to the naked eye. 

 The dull thorax is perhaps its best distinguishing character. 



Q. yexans, Epp. — I think we may probably regard this species 

 as common, and generally distributed throughout Britain, wherever 

 moles are found. 



Q. NiGROCffiRULEUS, Rey.— It is curious that there should be 

 three species of this genus inhabiting moles' nests, but this appears 

 to be the least common of them. It has been noted at Woking 

 (Champion), St. Margaret's, Herts, and Cobham, Surrey (Chit///), 



