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IV. So7}ie notes on the habits of Nanophyes durieui, Lucas, 

 as observed in Central Spain. By George Charles 

 Champion, F.Z.S., and Dr. Thomas A. Chapman, 

 M.D., F.Z.S., with a description of the larva and 

 pupa by Dr. T. A. Chapman, M.D. 



[Read Nov. 19tli, 1902.] 



Plate V. 



During a recent visit to Bejar, Central Spain, June 26th- 

 July 17th, 1902, we noticed numerous large fleshy excre- 

 scences or galls on the stems of a Cotyledon, a plant growing 

 abundantly between the crevices of the stone walls in the 

 outskirts of the town. Many of these galls, on examin- 

 ation, were found to contain specimens of a Nanophyes, 

 subsequently identified as N. durieui, Lucas, in the larval, 

 pupal, and imaginal condition. The beetles, at the beginning 

 of July, were mostly immature, and we therefore contenteil 

 ourselves by bringing home a supply of the galls, from 

 which, during August and September, quite two hundred 

 examples have emerged, accompanied, in September, by a 

 few Apion sedi, Germ. In the accompanj'ing plate an 

 illustration is given of the perfect insect, the larva, pupa, and 

 gall, the beetle only having been previously figured by 

 Lucas, who, in his description of the species, from a few 

 specimens found at Gran, Algeria, merely states that the 

 insect passes its metamorphosis in swellings on the stems 

 of Cotyledon (UmMlicus) horizontalis. Our observation, 

 therefore, is not new, still it is interesting as confirming 

 the statements of MM. Lucas and Durieu, and will no 

 doubt induce entomologists to search for the insect in 

 other European localities. K. durieui is recorded from 

 Southern Spain in Heyden, Reitter and Weise's " Catalogus 

 Coleopterorum Europa; " (1891), but on what authority we 

 know not, as MM. Brisout and Xambeu, both of whom 

 have described or noticed the species, simply refer to 

 Lucas' work. M. Xambeu (Le Naturaliste, 1901, pp. 224, 

 225) has recently described the larva and pupa of three 

 species of the genus: N. lythri, Fabr., on Zythrii/m saliearia ; 

 N. telephii. Bedel, on Sednm felephium, an insect that is 

 trans, ent. sop. lo\T). 1903. — part i. (april) 



