18 [June, 



surface i.s delicately and moderately tliickly punctured ; the lateral margins are 

 depressed, very slightly in front, broadly behind, and are very delicately punctured. 

 The elytra are rather deeply striated, the striae appearing impunctate ; the interstices 

 are all nearly of equal width, moderately convex, and very finely and moderately 

 thickly punctured ; the apex of each elytron is very slightly emarginate. 



There is another very small species of Orthogonius in the Museum (10 mill.) 

 marked " S. India," at present unnamed, with which O. (M.) planigera must not be 

 confounded. This has the head and thorax (especially the margins) much more 

 strongly and thickly punctured, and the apex of the elytron presents no trace of 

 emargination. — Chas. O. Waterhouse, British Museum : April iird, 1873. 



Notes on certain British CurcuUouidcE. — Oechestes semieufus, Gryll. Mr. Samuel 

 Stevens has for some years had (sepai-ated as a possibly distinct species) two examples 

 of an Orchestes which I think are without doubt to be attributed to Gyllenhal's 

 insect above named, and which were taken by himself at Weybridge. From the 

 review of M. H. Brisout's monograph of the genxis in Ent. Mo. Mag. ii, p. 225, it 

 is apparently most probable that the grounds for the reference of this insect to 

 Britain by M. Brisout were incorrect ; and, although its occurrence here is now placed 

 beyond doubt, it cannot, I think, with propriety be added to our list as a good 

 species. In De Marseul's last European Catalogue it is separated from scutellains by 

 five other species ; but, from an examination of Mr. Stevens's specimens, I am con- 

 vinced that Thomson is right (Skand. Col. vii, p. 286) in considering semirufas as 

 nothing but a form of scutellaris, which seems to be very variable in colour ; suturalis, 

 Zett., puhescens, Schon., and pilostts, Gryll., being also founded on difPerent shades of 

 the same species. Mr. Stevens's insects (one of which is very small ; the other of 

 normal size) differ from tlie ordinary British form of scutellaris in having the head 

 and thorax pitchy-black, the legs also being darker than usual, approaching Thomson's 

 " var. d." 



Oechestes melanocephaius, 01. — I am unable to see any ground for separating 

 this insect specifically from O. alni, Linn. M. Brisout can only suggest differences 

 of colour ; and I not only fail to detect any other but his sujjerficial characters, but 

 I find such an extreme difference in the degree of maculation in O. alni, that it seems 

 hardly worth while to allow the mere absence of spots to confer specific rank. 

 Similar, but much greater differences in 0. ilicis (especially a form of which I have 

 a British example, with almost black legs and tarsi) are recognised as constituting 

 mere colour varieties of that species. 



Ceuthoehtnchideus Cheveolati, Brisout. — Gyllenhal's "Rhynchsenus trog- 

 lodytes, Var. d, jam pluries lecta in plantis oleraceis ; elcgans, lineis thoracis et lituris 

 elytrorum e squamvdis niveis, fere argenteis, compositis " (Ins. Suec. iv, p. 597), 

 seems clearly to be this insect. 



" Ceuthoehtnchus crassidentatits, Marshall." — This name still appears on 

 our lists, but no one seems to have anything representing it, or to know what it is 

 supposed to bo, and no description of it has been published. Mr. Marshall (of 

 Leicester), to whom application has been made, appears to know nothing of it. 

 Can any one throw any light on the subject ? — E. C. Ete, Park Field, Putney, 

 S.W. : May, 1873. 



