NEW BRITISH SPECIES, ETC., IN 1865. 59 



Silverdale, a Lepidopterist, on an excursion into Wastdale in 

 June and July, 1863, had a collecting- bottle, into which he 

 put beetles at random for Mr. Sidebotham of Manchester ; 

 and in this bottle the latter found three or four Brachlnif 

 taken most probably at Wastdale, though possibly at Silver- 

 dale, but certainly at one of those two places. 



Dr. Power accurately remarks that one of these Brachini, 

 given to him by Mr. Sidebotham, somewhat resembles a 

 small specimen of j5. cr^epitans, but differs from that species 

 in the entire absence of all costation from its elytra, which 

 are finely and closely punctate; and, moreover, that the 

 head, being very much shorter, with much more prominent 

 eyes, assumes a more rhomboidal form than in our common 

 " Bombardier." 



This insect appears to be the type form of B. explodens^ 

 Dufts. ; a species allied to B. crepitans^ but smaller, with 

 shorter and somewhat more convex elytra, which are blue 

 or green, and shining, with the striae either very gently im- 

 pressed, or almost obliterated. The antennae have the third 

 and fourth joints spotted with black ; and these spots are 

 conspicuous in Dr. Povrer's specimen. There appears to be 

 a very rare variety of this species in which the antennae are 

 iinicolorous ; and the late Dr. Schaum (loc. cit.) has re- 

 marked, that B. glahratusj Dej. {strepitans, Fairm. et 

 Lab.) is allied to this variety, having its antennae unspotted, 

 and the striae of its elytra somewhat more distinctly im- 

 pressed. Subsequently, in his catalogues, the same author 

 (whose untimely decease is so much to be regretted) con- 

 sidered glahratus as a vai'iety of explodens ; and this view 

 is somewhat strengthened, as far as our first introduction to 

 either form goes, by the fact of another of the specimens 

 taken by Mr. Murton, and sent to me for examination by 

 Mr. Edleston (who received it from Mr. Sidebotham), being 



