1SS5.] 43 



Bercea pullata and Cruncecia irrorata hred. — It may be well to record the 

 breeding of Bercea pullata, Curt., from a larva possessing the same Leptoceridous 

 cliaracters as have been indicated as present in that of Berceodes minuta — another 

 confirmation of the true position of the Bercea group. The case is very like that of 

 Berceodes, not much longer, but thicker, and the larva is remarkable for its reddish 

 head and prothorax. Both larva and case agree with the descriptions given by 

 Pictet under Mystaeides {Adicella) ftlicornis, to such an extent that I consider it 

 desirable the Adicella should be reared in oi'der to make sure the author of the 

 "Recherches" had not Bercea before him, as the two insects frequent similar 

 localities. 



I have also bred Cranoecia irrorata, Cui't. This proves to be the maker of the 

 small quadrangular cases found about rock springs, and as to the origin of which 

 there has been much speculation. Pictet's account is at variance with my obser- 

 vations. I hope hereafter to give more extended notes on the life-histories of this 

 insect and Bercea pullata. — Kenneth J. Morton, Carluke, N.B. : June loth, 1885. 



TacJiys parvulus, Dej ., a species new to Britain. — Among some beetles sent to 

 me for names by Dr. J. W. Ellis I found a small Carabid very like Tackys histriatus 

 at first sight, but evidently not that species ; when I was at Southampton a few 

 weeks ago Dr. Sharp and I determined it to be T. parvulus, Dej. As, however, 

 there seemed to be a slight doubt, I applied to Herr Eeitter for a specimen, and he 

 kindly lent me one from his collection ; this exactly agrees with the one I received 

 through Dr. Ellis, except that, being more matiu'e, it is rather darker. T. parvulus 

 belongs to the third section of the genus Taehys, as given in the " Naturgeschichte 

 der Insect. Deutsch.," vol. i, p. 25U ; the other two species comprised in the section 

 are T. quadrisignatus and T. sextriatus. The characteristics of this section are as 

 follows : body more or less convex ; antennse only a little longer than the head and 

 prothorax ; jDrothorax with acute posterior angles ; elytra with two, three or four 

 deep striae next suture ; anterior tarsi simple in both sexes. 



The following is the description of T. parvulus :— Long, 'i lin. Dark brown or 

 reddish-brown, with a slight metallic lustre ; antennae rather short, brownish, or 

 brownish-yellow, with the base yellow ; legs entirely yellow ; forehead with two 

 fine longitudinal lines on each side ; prothorax sub-quadrate, slightly narrowed 

 behind, strongly depressed at base, with posterior angles acute ; elytra rather convex, 

 with the sutural and three following strise strong, finely but distinctly punctured, 

 reaching almost to base, evanescent before apex ; a fifth stria is obscurely indicated, 

 and the eighth is deep from base to apex. 



From T. quadrisignatus this species is distinguished by its unicolorous elytra, 

 and from T. histriatus by its more convex form, and the very different sculpture of 

 the elytra, as well as by the posterior angles of the prothorax, which are blunt in T. 

 histriatus, but acute in T. parvulus ; the antennae of the latter species are shorter 

 and stouter, and have the last joint rather stout, rounded at apex, and unicolorous, 

 whereas in T. histriatus the last joint is rather elongate and acuminate, and its 

 apical half is of a much lighter colour. 



The specimen now recorded was taken by Mr. J. H. Smedley, of Everton, 

 Liverpool, who has asked me to describe it ; he sends me the following account of 

 its capture : "I went to the Wallasey Sandhills last September for Parnassia palus- 



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