NEW BRITISH SPECIES, ETC., IN 1866. 103 



nisably described as above, at least five years before Germar 

 brought forward his unipunctatus. 



Cymindis (Tarus) basalis, Gyll., Ins. Suec. i, 175 

 {Carahus). 

 Mr. Crotch (loc. cit.) states that the vaporariorum, of 

 Linnaeus cannot apply to this insect ; as that author describes 

 it in the '* Fauna Suecica" as one of the smallest in the genus, 

 and found in hot-beds in his garden. 



NoTioPHiLUs AQUATicus, Linn. 



Mr. Crotch (loc. cit.) states that iV. laiicollis, Chaud., and 

 iV. Germinyi, Fauvel, furnish accurately the link between 

 this species and iV". palustris ; and that he has seen interme- 

 diate specimens in this country. 



In Mr. Crotch's " Catalogue," ed. 2, the latter insect is 

 ranked as a ** sub-species," but numbered as a species ; it 

 seems to me, however, that if the above-mentioned insects 

 really form a connection between it and aquaticus, it would 

 be better to quote it as a var. of that species, than to import 

 an unrecognised grade into our lists. 



A similar course is pursued with N. liguttatus and i\^. 

 A'punctatus (which, as Mr. Crotch says, is often higutt — 

 on one, and 4-punct — on the other side); insects which under 

 no circumstances could hold the same relative positions as 

 aquaticus and palustris, I cannot see how JV. Germini/l, 

 already sunk as a mere var. of palustris, can be intermediate 

 between that insect and JV. aquaticus, as its thorax is de- 

 scribed as much more contracted behind than in palustris^ 



NoTioPHiLus suBSTRiATUS, Watcrh. 

 Mr. Crotch (Cat. Brit. Col. ed. 2) now deposes punctu- 

 latus, Wesm., in favour of Mr. Waterhouse's species; and 



