{U) 



N'vtes on the Genus Actidil'm; l)y tlie Rev. A. Matthews, 

 M.A. 



Some of the rarest aud most interesting Tricboplerygidje 

 belong to the genus Actidium. Although cosmopolitan in their 

 range, and much varied in their quaint and elegant forms, they 

 bear evident aud unmistakable marks of affinity to each other. 

 In 1872, when the " Tiichoptei-ygia Illiistratu' was published, 

 only three species were known, and all these were European ; 

 since that time five others have been discovered, America, 

 Australasia, and Oceania or Polynesia, have contributed their 

 own representatives ; from Asia alone no species has been 

 hitherto received, though doubtless son::e mis-ht be found. In 

 consequence of this large increase in the number of the 

 species, I think that it will be useful to collect together the 

 scattered members of the genus, and to ti-anscribe from A'arious 

 l)ublica.tions in which they are recorded a few distinctive charac- 

 ters; so that they may be the more easily recognized. 



A^tldi'nm Bondu'iii, (Trichop. Illustr. p. 89), the first dis- 

 covered, was described by ]\I. Allibert from specimens taken on 

 the shores of the Lake of Geneva. Although rare, it has 

 occurred in other parts of Europe, but hitherto not on British 

 soil. It may easily be distinguished from all its congeners excejit 

 A. CrotclnamiiH, by its ovate form, jiitchy-black colour, and 

 black legs aud antenna;, 



Actidhnn Crdtcliliinmn, {{^\^\.. Eut. ii, p. H'kS), in shaj)o and 

 colour resembles the foregoing species, Init may be known by its 

 larger size and inflated elytra. Several specimens of this insect 

 were fouiul by my lamented frieud, whose name it bears, in 

 British Columbia, but I regret to say that ho left no note of the 

 exact local it}'. 



Actidlinn polituin, (Cist. Ent. ii, p. 1(18), was also found by 

 ^Ir. Crotch^ in British Colund»ia, and left Avithout any fm-ther 



