NEW BRITISH SPECIES, ETC., IN 1873. 75 



1. NoTioPHiLUS QUADRiPUNCTATUS, Dejeaii, Spec, ii, p.280, 

 Icon., ii, p. 138, pi. 87, fig. 3; Stephens, Mand., ii, 

 p. 190, Manual, p. 60; Dawson, Geod. Brit., p. 57; 

 Fairmaire & Lab., Faune Ent. Fr., i, p. 9; Schaum, 

 Naturg. Ins. Deutsclil., i, p. 67. 

 Laeordaire first (Faime Ent. Paris, i, p. 185), noting only 

 the difference in the elytral punctuation, appears to have 

 treated Dejean's insect as a mere variety; and Dawson, /. c, 

 who also only emf)hasizes the same character, says " pro- 

 bably only an uncommon variety" of iV". higuttatus (it is 

 curious that the latter author should, after swallowing such 

 a camel as substriatics, probably the most distinct of all the 

 species, hesitate about the present really very closely con- 

 nected insect). In Mr. Waterhouse's Catalogue it is placed 

 as a yarietj of biguftaf us, Fab., an opinion at first hesitatingly 

 followed by Mr. G. R. Crotch, who finally considers it a 

 " sub-species " of the latter. I have hitherto, chiefly from 

 insufficient material, thought Laeordaire right; but, seeing 

 that Dr. Sharp has treated quadripunctatus as a distinct 

 species in his Catalogue, I have again examined my insects, 

 and come to the conclusion that he is decidedly right in so 

 doing. Apart from the additional puncture between the 2nd 

 and 3rd lateral strice of each elytron, which, though of 

 usual occurrence, appears to be sometimes wanting on one 

 side, there are other characters, j)ointed out by Schaum, 

 viz.: — the shape is longer, and more parallel; the disc of the 

 thorax is rather less wrinkled, and its impressed middle line 

 terminates posteriorly in a deeper depression; there is an 

 evident pit-like depression on each side of the disc, close to 

 the front margin, merely indicated in higuttatus; the sides 

 of the thorax are straighter, not so contracted behind, and 

 with the posterior angles not pointed, though rectangular; 

 and the second interstice from the smooth broad disc of the 



