1867.] 109 



Hyperaspis. *Philonthus lucens, one specimen on a dusty road, a second under a 

 stone by the side of the Cairn. Philonthiis fumigatas extremely abundant in the 

 salt marshes. *ScopcBii,s Erichsonii ? : this elegant species I found in company 

 with Perileptus, and considered it to be an addition to our British catalogue ; but, 

 on sending it to Mr. Crotch, he informed me that my specimens are specifically 

 identical with the Scoprews found by Mr. Wollaston in Wales, but not since re-taken, 

 and on the authority of which examples S. Icevigatus took its place in our lists. I 

 have not since this had an opportunity of examining my species again, but I was 

 certainly of opinion that it did not agree with the description of Imvigatus, but 

 came at any rate very close to S. Erichsonii. *Bledius tricornis abundant in the 

 salt marshes. 



I spent the month of June at the the head of Loch Ken, and in this neigh- 

 bourhood I met with Orectochilus villosus in great profusion under stones at the 

 edges of the streams ; sometimes twenty or thirty specimens might be seen under 

 one stone, but it is veiy difficult to capture, its agility being something extra- 

 ordinary. Hydroporus 9-Uneatus in Loch Ken ; Cryptohypnus mamtimus ; this 

 rare species almost vies in agility with the preceding ; it is to be found on mild, 

 but not very bright, days, sitting on stones, and must be approached with the 

 greatest caution, or it will not be secured. It is extremely local, so much so that 

 I have only been able to find it here on a very dry and barren island in the Water 

 of Ken, and it appears not to occur elsewhere in the neighbourhood. Turning 

 the stones, though diligently worked at, quite failed to yield any specimens ; but by 

 repeating this stalking process day after day I procured a fine series : seven males 

 occur to every female found. Diacanthus impressus, sweeping in a marshy place ; 

 Hydrocyphon deflexicollis abundant on alders by the sides of the burns ; Telephorus 

 ahdormnalis, six specimens with the preceding ; *T. figuratus, two specimens beaten 

 from sallows ; *T. unicolor, a pair found by sweeping in the woods at Dairy ; T. 

 testaceus sparingly in a marshy place, certainly a distinct species from the common 

 T. limbatus, though very local ; Cosliodes ruber, suhrufus, and germiii, the last in 

 great profusion in the flowers of Geranium sylvaticum ; Anthonomti,s hrunneipennis, 

 in company with Telephorus testaceus ; its food-plant is, I have little doubt, Coniarvm, 

 palustre. Magdalinus carhonarius beaten from hazel : Rhynchites megacephalus, 

 about a dozen examples on birch ; a very wary beetle. Erirhimis majalis, a pair 

 beaten from sallows ; *Bracliytarsus varius beaten from hazel ; Cryptocephalus 

 6-punctatus, a single $ near Dairy ; Chrysomela varia/iis, not uncommon on a small 

 species o{ Hypericum ; Lina cenea on alders ; Gonioctena pallida beaten from sallows ; 

 *Bryaxis Lefebvrii : this species, hitherto unique as British in Mr. Waterhouse's 

 collection, I obtained somewhat commonly on the banks of the Water of Ken, but 

 it was apparently confined to a few square yards of ground, and I could find it 

 nowhere else. The male is very much rarer than the female, but becomes commoner 

 after the species has been out some time. Aleochara ruficornis, a beautiful specimen, 

 crawling in the road. Tachinus elongatulus, five specimens crawling in the road, 

 all in one week. 



If any of my friends want any of the species I have mentioned above as 

 tolerably common, will they kindly write to me for them ? — D. Sharp, Bellevue, 

 near Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, A^lgust, 1867. 



