Insects. 7325 



and D. capsincola, aud about the size of the former. — C. G. Barrett ; Dublin, 

 November 20, 1860. 



Determination of Philonthiis prolixus, a Brachehjtron new to the British Fauna. — 

 I have witliin the last few days delermiiied a Brachelytrous insect, which, if I am not 

 mistaken, is new to our fauna. 



Philonthus peolixos, Er. 



It is most nearly allied to P. proceruUis, Grav., and is easily distinguished from 

 P. signaticornis by ihe antennae not being pale at the apex ; from P. villosulus by the 

 antenuEe not being entirely pale. It belongs to Erichson'sSth section, with ihe sides 

 of the thorax thickly punctate, and differs from P. proceruUis in being rather larger 

 and broader. The antennae are considerably longer, and darker towards the apex. 

 The head is more oblong. The elytra are considerably wider, both absolutely and in 

 proportion to llie thorax : they are more distinctly and sparingly punctate, and 

 instead of having merely the apical margins rufo-testaceous this colour extends for a 

 considerable distance along them, in one of my specimens even beyond the middle, 

 gradually passing into a dark piceous. I have taken three specimens at Cowley, all 

 in July, one of them in 1858, the other two the present summer. I have also seen one 

 specimen in the possession of my friend Mr. Kye. — John A. Power ; 52, Burton 

 Crescent, November 19, 1860. 



Capture of Mycetophagm 4-guttatus. — During the present week I have been for- 

 tunate enough to capture seventeen specimens of the rare Mycetophagus 4-guttatus, 

 Muller, of which I believe very few examples are known. They were lurking in a 

 heap of old pea-haulm, and had manifestly been bred there, for one of them is per- 

 fectly immature, and had not attained iis proper markings. I have no doubt that 

 more might have been taken ; but it was such bitterly cold work handling the wet 

 hauhn, that after a hunt of about an hour and a half I was quite beaten, and glad to 

 give up the search. — Id. 



Beetling at the Cape and in Java. By Arthur Adams, Esq., F.L.S. 



Beetle Hunting at the Cape. — We were at the Cape during the 

 whole of the mouth of April, and we found the weather fine but some- 

 what stormy. As you wish to know what sport there is for the cole- 

 opterist at the Cape I have much pleasure in sketching for you ray 

 experience of three insect days. 



On landing almost the first beetle you see is Trogosita mauritanica, 

 in passing through the dockyard, which is brought over in the sugar- 

 bags from the Mauritius. We just look in at Mrs. Green's to drink a 

 glass of ale and chaff the dusky maids, and having purchased some 

 grapes of Rachel, the pretty fruiterer, we sally forth rejoicing. 



This first day we are fascinated by the flowers on the glorious 

 Simonsberg, and plunge at once among the Proteas, where, in company 



