on the British Species of Donacia. 217 



B. Legs pale ; abdomen more or less rufo-testaceous ; feet 

 broad. 



16. Elongate (length from 4^ lines to upwards of 5 



lines) ; black, often with a slight aeneous, or 

 blueish tint, especially on the thorax ; this latter 

 distinctly, and rather sparingly punctured, es- 

 pecially on the disc, which is glossy. — D. nigra, 

 Fab., Gyll., Steph., Lacord. 



I have during the present month met with this 

 insect very sparingly on reeds in the Plumstead 

 Marshes ; and I possess a fine series, from Mr. 

 Brewer, taken at Southwold. 



17. Shortish (length from 3| to rather more than 4 



lines) ; thorax rather thickly punctured. 



Note. — We find together smaller individuals 

 of a blackish colour, with an obscure aeneous 

 tint, and in which the interstices of the striae of 

 the elytra are even, and scarcely rugulose ; the 

 thorax contracted behind : others, usually larger, 

 of a frosted golden aeneous colour, with the 

 punctate striae of the elytra stronger, the in- 

 terstices somewhat convex, and distinctly trans- 

 versely rugulose ; thorax quadrate. The former 

 is no doubt the true D. affinis, Kunze, Lacordaire, 

 &c. ; of the latter I have several times seen 

 specimens from the Continent bearing the name 

 " discolor," but I suspect it is merely the female 

 of the, usually, blackish insect, which has the 

 antennae rather longer. With regard to the D. 

 discolor of Hoppe, that insect is said to have the 

 thorax sub-cordate, a character which does not 

 apply to our insect, which is the D. rustica of 

 Stephens. 



Note. — Since the above was communicated to the Society, I have seen two 

 specimens of a Donacia (from Scotland), in the collection of Dr. Power, which 

 greatly resemble the D. Lemnm, but which are of an uniform dull bronze colour, 

 and have the tooth to the hinder femur decidedly stronger: they are, no doubt, 

 the D. obscura of Gyllenhal, vol. iii., p. 654. The species should follow D. 

 Lemnte, 



VOL. V. N. S. PART VI. — JULY, I860. Q. 



