130 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



longiori, dentibus minus validis, pedibus longioribus, gracilioribus. 

 Long, corporis <? 14 mm. Long, forcipis 4 mm." In size and 

 general appearance it is somewhat like our common Forficula anri- 

 cularia, but the callipers are very different, as the figure shews. 



THY AMIS BRUNNEA AND LURID A. 

 By David Sharp, M.A., F.R.S., &c. 



These two insects have always been a great trouble to eole- 

 opterists, as is made clear enough by the remarks of Mr. Eye, 

 quoted by Canon Fowler (Brit. Col. iv. p. 342). Since then 

 Weise's important work (Ins. Deutschlands, Col. vi.) has become 

 known to us, and, as his views are not only of great importance 

 but of much interest, I revert to the subject. 



Weise considers the luridus of our Catalogues to be a winged 

 form of our brunneus. And he has also changed the names, 

 applying brunneus to our castaneus. According to him the forms 

 stand : — 



1. brunneus. 



castaneus, Brit. Cat. 



2. luridus. 



brunneus, Brit. Cat. 



var. (alatus) = luridus var. cognatus Weise, = luridus, 

 Brit. Cat. 



The matter is even more complicated, as he considers that 

 the wingless form is the original *' luridus'' of Scop. But I 

 think we ought not to follow Weise in the changes of names he 

 proposes. These result from the fact that he interprets the old 

 description of brunneus Duftsch., differently from his pre- 

 decessors, with the result that the literature for three generations 

 would become a chaos. It is possible Weise may be right, and 

 it is possible Weise may be wrong, and I think in such a case 

 the opinion of his predecessors should be maintained. 



As regards the question whether luridus and brunneus are 

 distinct species, or v/inged and apterous forms, respectively, of 

 one species, decision is much more difficult. 



Weise's work is a comprehensive and masterly one, and his 

 opinion is entitled to the greatest respect. He says that our 

 luridus is a winged form that does not extend northwards beyond 

 55°, though the wingless form goes farther north. In this he 

 may be correct ; at any rate, our brunneus occurs in profusion in 

 the South of Scotland, as well as all over England, but our luridus 

 has not been found even in Southern Scotland, though it is not 

 rare in England, and has been recorded as far north as North- 

 umberland, i. e. just about the 55th parallel. 



