234 Proceedings of the Boyal Physical Society. 



but apparently not from Scotland till now. Its geographical 

 range is known to extend from Siberia and Scandinavia to 

 Ireland and Tunis. 



Local data. — Morton, near Edinburgh, July 1896, two specimens ; Braid 

 Hermitage (Edinburgh), Oct. 1896, one; Ravelrig (Midlothian), Oct. 1896, 

 several; Dreghorn (Midlothian), March 1897, two ; Corstorphine Hill Wood, 

 Oct. 1897, two ; Bridge of Allan (W. Perth), Feb. 1898, half a dozen under 

 pieces of bark lying on a wet mossy bank ; Arniston (Midlothian), May 

 1898, one; Harburu, Oct., two ; Ormiston fir- wood, near Kirknewton, fairly 

 common under loose bark on fallen trees, May ; banks of the Avon (Linlith- 

 gow), July, one. 



Papirius ornatus (Nic. ), Lubb. 



[Plate YII. Figs. 14, 15.] 



This form — the P. ornatus of Lubbock's "Monograph," 

 and presumably the Sminthurus ornatus of Nicolet, since 

 the former authority states positively that his insect is 

 common in Switzerland — is abundant throughout our district 

 under dead branches, etc., lying on wet grass or leaves, 

 chiefly in or close to woods. Occurs at all seasons of the 

 year, but especially from autumn to spring. It is doubtfully 

 distinct (specifically) from the next, there being little or no 

 difference between them except in colour and pattern, the 

 shape of the dark marking (a central bar crossed by several 

 shorter ones in ornatus, a squarish spot in minutus) on the 

 hinder part of the abdomen being perhaps the readiest 

 character by which to separate them. But both insects are 

 subject to considerable variation in these respects, and we 

 have met with specimens (pale ones) that might almost 

 have been regarded as intermediate. P. ornatus is the 

 common form in the British Isles generally, but elsewhere 

 it seems only to have been recognised in Switzerland (as 

 mentioned above), Germany, and Norway (6). Curiously 

 enough, it is not mentioned in Keuter's Scottish list (12), 

 and it is not known as yet in Sweden or Finland. Dr 

 Eeuter, to whom we have sent specimens, says it is not the 

 same as the Continental P. minutus, var. coulonii. 



Local data.— Bonaly (Midlothian), Feb. 1896 ; Dreghorn, Kirknewton, 

 and Dalhousie, March ; Colinton Dell and Mortonhall, abundant, April ; 

 near Aberlady, Aug., a few; Uphall, Sept.; LufiFness Woods, Sept.; 



