NEW BRITISH SPECIES IX 1855. 89 



slightly emarginate in the centre. Female with all the seg- 

 ments entire. 



This species bears, on a cursory inspection, a very strong 

 resemblance to dark individuals of Scol. destructur, from 

 which, however, it may be readily distinguished by its 

 superior size, its deep shining black colour, its narrower 

 thorax, more parallel elytra, with a single row only of punc- 

 tures on the interstices, arid gaping at their extreme apex, the 

 naked head of the female, the great length of the pubescence 

 on that of the male, the more deeply emarginate clypeus, 

 and especially by the structure and puncturing of the abdo- 

 men — for in Scol. destructur the third and fourth segments 

 have a minute tooth on their anterior margin in both sexes, 

 and the punctures, although fine, are deep and close, parti- 

 cularly on the fifth. 



I have seen seven specimens of this insect taken by Mr. 

 Weaver from birch stumps, at Rannoch, Perthshire. 



It occurs sparingly throughout Germany, more fre- 

 quently in mountainous districts, and appears to be confined 

 exclusively to the birch. 



Ratzeburg first pointed out the distinctive characters of 

 this species, as shown above; but as I am satisfied it is not 

 the insect described and figured by Olivier, I am under the 

 necessity of imposing a new trivial name, which I have 

 selected in accordance with the course usually pursued in 

 similar cases. 



The synonymy of the allied species appears to me to 

 stand thus: — 



SCOLYTUS DESTRUCTOR, Oliv. 



Le Scolyte, Geoffr. Hist. Abr. des Ins. i. 309, Tab. V. 



fig. 5 (1764). 

 Bostrichus Scolytus, Fab. Ent. Syst. i. 2, 364(1792; 



Panz. Faun. Ins. Germ. Fas. 15, Tab. 6 (1794). 

 Ekkoptogaster Scolytus, Herbst. Natursyst. v. 125, 1 ; 



Tab. 49, fig. 1 (1793). 



