340 Insecta. 



cialised processes found in Dytiscns. The structures are illustrated in two text- 

 jfigures. Structures homologous with maxillulae appear to be also present in 

 Cybister-lavYne. H. Scott (Cambridge). 



1093) Arrow, Gr. J., A Synoptical Revision of tlie Coleopterous Genus 

 Hexodon (Dynastinae). In: Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Bd. IX, S. 594—600, 1912. 

 The genus of Coleoptera Lamellicornia here revised possesses several fea- 

 tures of biologic interest. It is confined to Madagascar. Its chief character is 

 the absence of wings, a very exceptional phenomenon in Dynastinae. Correlated 

 with this, as in other apterous Coleoptera, the elytra have developed lateral 

 folds and the humeral prominences are reduced. In certain other respects it 

 Combines features which are elsewhere distinctive of different groups of Dynas- 

 tinae; and it appears to be an ancient type surviving in Madagascar, formerly 

 widespread , the nearest allies of which at the preseut day are a group almost 

 entirely confined to America. H. Scott (Cambridge). 



101)4) Jatzentkovslii, A.^V., Contribution ä la faune des Ipides de la Pologne 

 de la Russie. In: Kevue Russe d'Ent., XII, S. 284—293, 1 Fig., 1912 (russ.). 



Auf Grund von Literaturangaben und eigenen und fremden Sammlungen stellt Verf. 

 für Russisch-Polen die stattliche Zahl von 66 Borkeuküferarten fest, von denen Pityoph- 

 thorus glabratus Eichh., Piti/ogenes trepanatus Nördl. und Xyleborus cryptograplius Ratz, 

 neu für die russische Fauna sind. Dampf (Königsberg i. Pr.). 



1095) Elmliirst, B., Some observations on the Glowworm {Lanipyris 

 noctiluca L.). In: Zoologist, Bd. XVI, No. 851, S. 190 — 192, May 1912. 



The writer gives some interesting results of Ins observations. (I) Females 

 of Lompyris noctiluca frequently take up a permanent position, where they may 

 be found night after night. (II) The males sometimes occur in s^varms, some 

 hundreds at a time. (III) The writer tested the relative attractiveness of diffe- 

 rently coloured liglits to these swarms of males. He found that red light exer- 

 cised far the strongest attraction; on one occasion some females a few feet from 

 the light were entirely passed over by the males in their eagerness to reach the 

 light. The attractiveness of red is curious, since the ligtli emitted by the females 

 is far removed in the spectrum from red. Next to red, diffuse white light was 

 most attractive: blue and green lights were ignored; bright white light close at 

 hand was avoided, H. Scott (Cambridge). 



1096) Tomlin, J. R. le B. and Sharp, W. E., Notes on the British Species 

 of Longitarsus, Latr. In: Ent. Mo. Mag., Bd. XXII, S. 241—248, 274—275, 

 1911; und Bd. XXIII, S. 2—7, 72—76, 119—124, 201—204, 245—208, 278 

 bis 286, 1912. 



In their concluding remarks (pp. 282 — 284) the writers call attention to 

 the extreme morphological instability of these forms: they consider that greater 

 specific rigidity could be attained only by greater restrictions in the matter of 

 food-plants and consequent conditions than is actually the case. The dominance 

 of some of the species can be inferred from their abundance and ubiquity: and 

 this dominance is probably largely due to their plasticity, which enables them 

 to adapt themselves to varying environmental conditions. The condition of the 

 wings affords a most sti'iking instance of this plasticity; not only are some spe- 

 cies winged and others not, but in certain cases some individuals of a species 

 are winged and others not. Assuming that all primitive Coleoptera were fully 

 winged, the writers consider that these species of Lotigltarsus are in process of 

 passing from a winged to an apterous condition; and that the great development 



