CLAMBUS PUNCTULUM, BECK., A BRITISH SPECIES. 293 



Simple questions, like these, would appear to be capable of carrying 

 simple answers, but it appears they are not. At any rate, " genuine" 

 or " true " neurica of which we have heard so much, are those with 

 "a dark reniform surrounded with pale" {teste Hiibner's figure). 

 They include all our former British specimens, those sent out from 

 Hunts and Cambs as neurica (following Stainton), and those sent out 

 from Norfolk, Essex, and elsewhere as aritndincta (following Newman). 

 Field lepidopterists want to know whether their specimens agree with 

 the original figures and descriptions of the names they bear, and if 

 they do not, are hardly likely to be satisfied with " an opinion " or 

 " ipse dixit " that the species is so and so, backed up by reasoning on 

 literature which does not affect the point at issue, or include a first- 

 hand consideration of the original figure. 



We are taking the- liberty of again reproducing the plate which 

 illustrated Mr. Edelsten's excellent article last year [Ent. Eec, xix., 

 nos. 1-3). We can only repeat that we appear to agree entirely with 

 all Mr. Edelsten's quoted facts, we only disagree with his primary 

 conclusion. 



Explanation of Plate XXI. 



(J , taken by Schmidt. 

 J , froiii Professor Stange. 



? . ,, 



c? (underside), taken by Schmidt. 

 d , taken by Schmidt. 

 ? , ,, ,, 



(? , from Norfolk Broads. 

 ? , from Central Asia. 



J (underside), from Norfolk Broads (slightly 

 enlarged). 



11. Ova in sitti of Noiuigria neurica, Hb., from Norfolk Broads. 



12. ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ( X 15 diameters). 



Clambus punctulum, Beck., a British species. 



By H. St. J. K. DONISTHOEPE, F.Z.S., F.E.S. 



Clambus punctuluvi, Beck., was described and figured in the 

 Beitri'Kje zur baierischen Insektenfaune, Augsburg, 1817, p. 8, plate i., 

 fig 4. The description reads : — " Ater, nitidus, subacuminatus, 

 pedibus fulvis, elytris pilosellis. Black, shining; the legs gold- 

 yellow, the elytra furnished with sparse, extremely delicate, little hairs. 

 The head and thorax are very bent, the abdomen strongly acuminate. 

 The outline of the body distinguishes it easily from Herr Sturm's 

 atoiiiarius " { — C. aruiadillo, de Geer). I captured a specimen at 

 Chattenden, on July 21st, by evening sweeping in company with 

 Cijrtusa nn'nuta and Anisotouia badia. Fowler writes {(Jul. Brit. Isles, 

 vol. iii., p. 12) : — " A fourth species, (.'. punctuliDii, has been included 

 in the British list, but has been dropped, as the specimens on which it 

 was introduced appear to be only small C. viinutus." 



Ganglbauer refers [Kdfer von Mitteleuropa, vol. iii., p. 259) to 

 punctulum as follows : — "Comes very close to minutus, from which it 

 is only distinguished by its smaller size. The differences given by 

 Eeitter in the length of the last joints of the autenna3 (by minutus 

 much longer, by punctulum as long as broad) I do not find confirmed. 

 The colour is variable as in minutus. Long. 0-6mm.-0-7mm. Europe, 

 Mediterranean. Rarer than minutus." He treats it as a good species. 



