190 [January, 



Note on Acidota cruentata, Mann., var. ferruginea, Erichson, Gen. et Spec. 

 Staph., p. 862 ; Kraatz.—This interesting and very rare form of a somewhat scarce 

 species was not known to me as British, imtil Mr. R. Lawson took five specimens 

 of it, unaccompanied by the type, in flood refuse, during the past autumn, near 

 Scarborough ; in the neighbourhood of which town he also took in October last 

 many examples of ordinary cruentata, out of moss, without finding one of the above 

 mentioned race. I think, also, that there is one of the latter in the collection of 

 the Marquis of Ripon, taken by Mr. E. A. Waterhouse near Studley, Yorkshire ; 

 and I am quite certain that out of the numerous specimens of cruentata found by 

 myself some years ago (under peculiar circuiastances) at Chelsea, not one departed 

 in the least from the normal condition of the species. 



Both Erichson and Kraatz, though attributing a diiferent value to the insect 

 now under consideration, agree in referring it with doubt to Lacordaire's description 

 oi ferruginea ; in which doubt I think they were more than justified, as, from the 

 latter author attributing the same length of elytra to it and to crenata, it iS clear 

 he could not have meant anything but type cruentata, to which both Fairmaire 

 (Faune, &c., p. 634) and Fauvel (Faune Gallo-Rhenane, iii, p. 89) refer Lacordaire's 

 insect, — without, however, mentioning any variety ; Fairmaire simply quoting the 

 reference to it (Favme Ent. Par. I, p. 4V7, erroneously 447) without even the 

 synonymic name, and Fauvel intimating an examination of the type. De Marseid, 

 in his Catalogues, follows Erichson, considering ferruginea to be a good species, and 

 attributing quadratum, Zett. {quadrum, Zett., oliin, nee Arpedium id., Qrav.) to it 

 as a synonym ; but there is nothing whatever in Zetterstedt's description to justify 

 this, and Thomson (Skand. Col. iii, p. 205) considers the latter to be another species 

 altogether (though how he reconciles Zetterstedt's " elytra thorace vix dimidio 

 longiora" with his own " prothorace pariun longiora " is not exactly clear). Kraatz 

 gwes ferruginea as " var. ? " of cruentata ; and from only knowing of two specimens 

 of it (including Erichson's one), is evidently unable to form a decided opinion on 

 the point. But Mr. Lawson's captures enables me to state positively ihat ferruginea, 

 Er., is only a form of cruentata ; — compared with which it is smaller, narrower, and 

 with markedly shorter elytra, of wluch the punctuation seems more confused, as the 

 abbreviation naturally diminishes the middle portion, where it is less irregular. In 

 all other respects, there is not a particle of difference to be found. 



It may not be uninteresting to note that, judging from a single specimen in my 

 collection (given to me long ago by the Rev. T. A. Marshall), A. rufa, Grav., holds 

 a precisely analogous position with regard to A. crenata, having shorter elytra, 

 which are therefore somewhat less strongly and regularly punotate-striatc. Of this 

 character, however, I do not see any mention in the authors above quoted. 



Thomson adopts rufa, Gyll. (1810), for cruentata, Mann. (1830) ; considering, 

 as I presume, that rufa, Grav. (1802), being sunk as a colom*- variety of crenata, 

 does not interfere with Gyllenhal's insect of the same name. — E. C. Rye, 10, Lower 

 Park Field, Putney, S.W. : December, 1872. 



Note on AgapantMa micans, Paykull. — As our Longicorn beetles are so few in 

 number, and (as one would think) so well known, it very seldom becomes necessary 

 to refer to one's specimens: but I was, nevertheless, recently greatly siu-prised tc 

 find among my neglected series of Stenostola ferrea, an individual of the abo\r 

 meutioiied species (not hitherto reputed British), which has certainly been in that 

 position ever since I had a collection. I have never once taken S. ferrea, and I 



