\\2 L October, 



Hydrohius (sneus : change of name. — Until recently, two species liacT been 

 mixed in European collections of KydrophilidcB under the name of Hydrohius 

 (sneus, Germ. One of these occurs in our country, and is recorded at present 

 in our Catalogues as Paracymus ceneus. Sahlberg has lately pointed out the con- 

 fusion, and has proposed the trivial name of nigro-ceneus for our species, which will, 

 therefore, now stand as Faracymus nigro-ceneus, Salil. The true H. ceneus, Germ., 

 is a rather smaller and narrower insect, with paler legs and palpi ; it is common in 

 brackish waters in Southern Europe, occurring also in the Paris district, so that it 

 may possibly be found in this country. Although the two species are superficially 

 very similar, the structure of the antennse is different ; I am, indeed, strongly in- 

 clined to the opinion that the two will have to be generically separated, for while 

 there are nine joints in the antennse of Paracymus nigro-ceneus, Sahl., I can only 1 

 find eight in those of S. census, G-erm. The specimen of this latter that I have* 

 mounted in balsam, in order to ascertain the fact, has not, however, made a veryi 

 successful preparation, so that I do not feel quite satisfied on the point. — D. ShaePjI 

 Southampton : August 30th, 1884. 



e 



Blaps mortisaga at Hitchin. — On July 22nd, a friend brouglit me two beetleij 

 alive which he had caught in a trap in his cellar, and which he thought wen| 

 different to the ordinary cellar-beetle {B.mucronata). On examination they proves 

 to be Blaps mortisaga. I have now taken all the British BlaptidcB in this neiglia 

 bourhood, viz., B. mortisaga, Hitchin, two specimens ; B. mucronata, Hitchin 

 abundant ; B. similis, Pirton, rather common. — John Habtley-Dueeant, Bancrof-^ 

 House, Hitchin, Herts. : September 13th, 1884. 



Amara fusca, T>j., at Doncaster. — Among a number of beetles recently collecte 

 for me from beneath stones at Doncaster by a non-entomological I'elation, and whic 

 I found awaiting my arrival there in a pickle-bottle with a piece of wet rag { 

 " cover," I was pleased to find a single specimen (a male) of this scarce specie 

 which had survived several days' imprisonment in the said bottle, while having f( 

 companions pi'incipally Pterostichus vulgaris and Harpalus ruficornis. — John )/* 

 Ellis, 101, Everton Koad, Liverpool : August 3\st, 1884. 



The British species of Laccohius. — Upon reading Dr. Sharp's remarks «i| 

 these insects in the September issue of this Magazine {cf. Ent. Mo. Mag., xxi, 8J| 

 I examined mj own specimens very carefully, and find I have examples of i\ 

 the four species he describes. L. sinuatus, Motsch. (= L. nigriceps, Th.), j 

 course carried away the palm in point of numbers, but was approached very close » 

 by L. alutaceus, Th., of which I took several specimens near Bognor in April of 1 1 

 present year. I do not seem to have this species from any other locality ; it is p] • 

 bably very local. Of L. minutus, Sharp, I could only find one example, withe 

 note as to locality, &c., but probably also from Bognor. L. bipunctatus, Th., I tc, 

 plentifully from ditches on Selsea Bill in April, and also, more sparingly, m 

 Aylsham, Norfolk, in June ; considering it to be only a varying form of the coma , 

 species, however, I unfortunately neglected to mount more than two or three exa 

 pies. My solitary Specimen of L. minutus has distinct traces of the white spot 

 the apex of the elytra, which is so conspicuous in L. bipunctatus ; has Dr. Shi ' 

 noticed this in his seines ? ' The punctuation of the thorax, however, is essentia' 



