254 Proceedings of the Boyal Physical Society. 



Local data. — Dalmeny beacli (Linlithgow), on rotting wrack, 31st Dec. 

 1898, half a dozen specimens ; and at Aberdour (coast of Fife), also on rotting 

 wrack, 11th Feb. 1899, three. 



Genus Achorutes, Templeton. 



Achorutes armatus (Nic). 



This pretty little Spring-tail is widely distributed, and 

 rather common in the district, occasionally appearing in 

 large numbers on putrid vegetable matter. Schott states 

 that it has been recorded from England by Lubbock, but 

 there is nothing in the latter's " Monograph " to that effect, 

 though his remarks in Trans. Linn. Soc, 1868, might perhaps 

 be so interpreted. 



A very widely distributed species — Siberia to Ireland 

 and Italy, Greenland, North and South America, Sumatra. 



Local data. — Aberlady, Aug. 1896, one specimen ; Rosslyn, Oct., a few 

 under cow-dung ; North Berwick, Aug. 1897, one ; Bridge of Allan, Feb. 

 1898, fairly common in moss ; Hallyards, near Kirkliston, March, half a 

 dozen under bark on rotten tree ; Edgelaw, Oct., a good many under pieces 

 of wood lying on grass; Dalmeny beach, on putrid wrack, Dec, very 

 abundant; Morningside, on rotten hyacinth bulbs, Feb. 1899, abundant; 

 Comiston, on rotten turnips, March, common. 



Achorutes longispinus, Tullb., var. scoticus, nov. 

 [Plate V. Fig. 7 ; Plate VIII. Figs. 15-18.] 



A dark blue-grey Achorutes, agreeing well with A. longi- 

 spinus, Tullb., in the main structural features, occurs sparingly 

 among wet moss (Sphagnum) on Bavelaw Bog, at the foot of 

 the Pentland Hills. As Dr Schaffer, to whom we are indebted 

 for Spitzbergen examples of the species, points out, how- 

 ever, the dorsal bristles of the latter are not so long as in 

 our insect, which we would add has also a more mottled 

 appearance, and has the anal spines bent more forwards 

 (Fig. 16). Although of secondary importance, these differ- 

 ences have doubtless some significance, a fact we have 

 thought it advisable to emphasise by naming our insect var. 

 scoticus. 



A. longispinus was described from Novaya Zemlya by 

 Tullberg (17) in 1876. It inhabits Franz Josef Land, 



