1886.1 241 



very shiny ; antennse pitchy, with the three basal joints yellow-red ; thorax 

 slightly broader at the base than the elytra, much narrowed in front, sides only 

 slightly rounded ; anterior angles obtuse, and not prominent ; posterior angles 

 right angles, but rounded at the apex ; base of the thorax distinctly sinuate ; basal 

 impressions obsolete ; elytra broad, parallel-sided for two-thirds of their length, 

 faintly sinuate before the apex which is slightly produced; striae simple, rather 

 deeper behmd ; the marginal row of punctures interrupted in the middle ; legs with 

 the femora black ; tibiae reddish ; tarsi brown. Length 3^ lines. 



This species is at once recognised from all the other British Amarcs by its very 

 broad thorax, the base of which is somewhat wider than the base of the elytra, by 

 its somewhat depressed and parallel-sided form, and by its high polish. It is 

 distinguished at once from lunicollis,ovata, and similata, its nearest allies in Britain, 

 by the absence of any fovea at the base of the thorax.— John W. Ellis, Brougham 

 Terrace, Liverpool: February Wth, 1886. 



[Dr. Ellis remarks that he sent the specimen to me ; I returned it to him as 

 probably A. nitida, Sturm, a species that is placed in the European lists immediately 

 before A. montivaga ; as Herr Eeitter is acquainted with A. montivaga, his 

 determination must be in all probability correct. It did not, however, appear to me 

 possible that Dr. Ellis's insect could belong to that species, as Schaum (Naturgeschichte 

 der Insect. Deutsch., vol. i, p. 524) lays particular stress upon the legs being entirely 

 black; in the short Latin description of A. montivaga, he says, " pedibus totis 

 nigris," and again in the Grerman description, " die Beine sind ganz schwarz ; " on 

 the other hand, in describing A. nitida, he says, " femora black, tibiae ferruginous, 

 tarsi brown ;" this it will be seen agrees exactly with Dr. Ellis's description ; it is 

 obvious, therefore, that either Schaum or Eeitter must be wrong. I am rather 

 inclined to think that the colour of the legs in the genus Amara, which some authors 

 lay so much stress upon, is a very misleading character. — W. W. F.]. 



The South London Entomological and Natueal Histoet Society, 

 2lst January, 1886 : R. Adkin, Esq., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Frohawk exhibited specimens of the curious ichneumon Allysia manducator, 

 G-r., bred from the Coleopteron Creophihcs maxillosus, L. Mr. Billups exhibited 

 male and female specimens of Sirex gigas, L., belonging to the family Siricidce, and 

 remarked that the larva were very destructive to wood, more especially Fir planta- 

 tions, and cited many instances to show the great rapacity and strength of the 

 mandibles of these destructive creatures. This gentleman also exhibited specimens 

 of the ichneumon Rhyssa persuasoria, which species was parasitic on the Sirex. 

 Mr. Wellman exhibited some striking forms of Xanthia aurago. Mr. Dobson 

 exhibited two specimens of Acherontia Atropos, the pupae having been kept in a 

 temperature of between 60° and 70°, and emerging respectively on the 2nd and 5th 

 of January. Mr. Carrington exhibited a curious malformation of Fieris rupee. 

 Mr. South exhibited specimens of Noctua castanea {neglecta) from the New Forest, 

 and two localities in Perthshire, and said those from the New Forest were gray with 

 an ochreous tinge and were the true neglecta, whilst those from Perthshire were 

 either gray with a reddish tinge or of a decided chestnut colour, the chestnut 

 coloured specimens being the castanea of Esper ; and the reddish tinged gray ex- 



