4 [January, 



OXYTELUS SAULCTI, Pand., A NEW BEITISH BEETLE FROM 

 MOLES' NESTS. 



BY NORMAN B. JOY, M.R.C.S., F.E.S. 



Eesembles fairmairci, Pand., in having the anterior tibia excavated at 

 the apex ; the fore parts are slightly more coarsely sculptured ; the hind body 

 is alutaceous, and very finely and diffusely punctnred (in 0. fainnairei this 

 part is not alutaceous, but is strongly and closely punctiu-ed) ; in the S the 

 sixth ventral segment has the hind border produced in the centre into a small 

 square plate, at the base of wliich is a well marked tubercle, and the seventh is 

 broadly emarginate. L. 1'7 — 2 mm. 



All my so-called O.fairmairei from moles' nests, taken at Brad- 

 field, Berks, really belong to this insect, and I have little doubt that 

 other records of 0. fairmairei from moles' nests are incorrect. The 

 latter species appears to inhabit dung, and is sometimes taken in moss 

 and on the -ndng. I have also taken 0. saulcyi in flood refuse. 



Bradfield : Nov., 1909. 



ON THE BEITISH SPECIES OF P H JE D N . 

 BY DAVID SHARP, M.A., F.R.S. 



Weise in his great work on the European Chrysomelidx, completed 

 in 1893, but so far as Phiedon is concerned published in 18C4, treated 

 our British P. conchinus, Steph., as a variety of P. armoracite, and 

 emphasises his vievF by remarking that under no circumstances can it 

 be considered a distinct species (Ins. Deutschl. vi, p. 548). Eight 

 years later Bedel treated the subject (Faune Col. Seine, v, p. 153) and 

 recognised P. concinnus as a distinct species. Notwithstanding this, 

 in the recent catalogue of European Coleopfera, P. concinnus stands 

 as a mere variety of P. armoracife. As this diiference of opinion 

 between the highest authorities is very unsatisfactory, I have thought 

 it desirable to investigate the matter again for my own satisfaction. 

 The result leaves me in no doubt whatever as to the validity of P. 

 concinnus. Further than this, I am surprised to find that another 

 species, viz., P. tumidulus possesses characters that must relegate it 

 to a distinct genus, which I propose to call Pamplixdon. 



Paraph^don, gen. n. 

 Linea mctasternali externe antrorsum curvata ,- elytra hitmeris, cumque meso- 

 sterno antice, ad reccptionem femoris profunde impressis ; prosternum in medio 

 carinatum. 



It is very curious that these striking external features should have 

 hitherto escaped observation, but we must recollect that Paraphaedon 



