Collemhola mid Thysanura of the EdinhurgJi District. 239 



species. We believe, however, that they intergrade. In any 

 case we can find no structural differences sufficient to 

 warrant their separation, and the best Continental authorities 

 are apparently of the same opinion. The genus is admittedly 

 one of the most difficult in the whole order, and much work 

 will have to be done upon the life-histories of the various 

 forms, before they are properly understood. 



Besides the typical form, which is our common one, we 

 have noted the following : — 



1. Var. fucatus, Uzel. — Some of the larger specimens 

 (length 2 to 2\ mm.) sent to Professor Renter and Dr Schafter 

 are referred by them to the form described by Uzel (18) 

 under the name of L. fucatus, both authorities adding, 

 however, that it is very likely only a variety of L. lanugi- 

 nosus. Similar specimens sent to Dr Schott were named 

 l)y him simply Z. lamcginosus. Our own opinion is that 

 they are co-specific, the relative lengths of the antennal 

 segments being subject to considerable variation. Lubbock's 

 figure of L. lignorum is suggestive of this variety. 



2. Var. albicans, lleut. — A few small pale specimens sent 

 to Dr Schiiffer agree fairly well, in his opinion, with lleuter's 

 L. albicans, though it is possible they are only young examples 

 of the ordinary form. Having since received from Prof. Pieuter 

 true albicans (white with black frontal spot), we find we have 

 occasionally obtained the form here. 



3. Var. minor, nov. — a small brilliant metallic blue form, 

 only about 1 mm. in length, with third antennal segment 

 usually about two-thirds the length of the second one : 

 body-colour pale whitish-yellow. — A colony of this form 

 occurs under small stones scattered along the edge of a field 

 at Comiston, near Edinburgh, and although the locality has 

 been visited many times during the past six months, no 

 larger examples have been found, so that their small size 

 does not seem to be dependent on age. Professor Renter, 

 who has favoured us with a very full report on the 

 Lepidocyrti submitted to him, suggests that this may perhaps 

 be a new species. Dr Schc3tt, however, names it Z. lanugi- 

 nosus, possibly a local variety ; and Dr Schiififer also thinks 

 it referable to lanuginosus, probably immature. 



VOL. XIV. Q 



