ii80 Mr. C. J. Gahan on larvx of Tridenotoma childrcni, 



a reddish-brown colour. In such specimens also the terga of the 7th 

 and 8th abdominal segments have a slightly chitinised, reddish- 

 colonred, transverse band, the surface of which is shagreened. The 

 spiracles, to the number of nine pairs, are transversely elliptical in 

 shape, and situated as in the larva of Lymexylon. 



8. The larva of Bascillns ccrvinus, L, (Plate VI, fig. 3.) 



While this paper was in course of preparation, my 

 colleague Mr. C. O. Waterhouse received for identifica- 

 tion, a larva which was reported to be doing injury to 

 grass-lands near Clondalkin in Ireland. This larva was 

 unknown to us at the time, but Mr. Waterhouse soon 

 found that it agreed very well with the desci'iption given 

 by Erichson of the larva of Dascillus ccrvinus. Having 

 only a single specimen for examination, and not having 

 yet dissected out the mouth parts, we were led to suggest 

 that the larva might possibly be predaceous in its habits 

 instead of being actually a root-feeder. This suggestion, 

 however, proves to be wrong. Through the kindness of 

 Professor G. H. Carpenter, of Dublin, I have received 

 some additional si^ecimens of the larva, and have thus 

 been enabled to make a more detailed examination of its 

 structure. The large basal molar tooth with which each 

 of the mandibles is furnished affords strong evidence as to 

 the vegetable-feeding habits of the larva ; for such teeth are 

 never, so far as I know, met with in carnivorous larvae, 

 while of common occurrence in those larv£E that are known 

 to feed on wood or vegetable fibres. Professor Carpenter 

 moreover informs me that though he has not actually 

 seen the larvsB eat roots, he has seen them hanging on 

 to roots with their mandibles, and, further, the crops of 

 two that he examined contained finely divided earth 

 with some plant fragments. These facts, however, are 

 mentioned only because they serve to confirm the account 

 which we find has already been given of the habits of the 

 larva in two jiapers published by Professor Dr. J. E. V. 

 Boas. Unfortunately these papers were not noticed in the 

 " Zoological Record," and I have to thank Dr. Adam Boevinff, 

 who has been visiting the British Museum to study the 

 collection of beetle-larvae there, for bringing them to my 

 knowledge. To Dr. Boas also, my thanks are due for his 

 great courtesy in sending me copies of his papers. The 

 first paper, giving a very complete description and excellent 



