The Zoologist— July, 1866. 281 



p. 157) of larvae wliicb were only found as companions of other larvs. The beauty 

 and neatness of the drawing of Miss Wing elicited very general admiration. 



Mr. E. W. Janson exhibited specimens of Throscus elateroides, Heer, a species 

 not hitherto recognized as an inhabitant of Britain, captured, during the past month 

 by Messrs. J. A. Brewer and E. Smith, near Eochester, Kent, at the roots of herba<»e • 

 he remarked that this species may be readily distinguished from its ascertained in'di- 

 genous congeners by its bi-carinate forehead, grooved eyes and the thickly punctate 

 interstices of the elytra, and submitted magnified drawings and the following concise 

 diagnoses of the three species now known to inhabit Britain : he likewise stated that 

 Dr. J. A. Power had recently taken this species in the same locality and under similar 

 circumstances : — 



" Genus Throscus. 



I. Eyes with an oblique central groove in front only. 



Sp. 1. T. dermestoides, L., Latr., Steph., Heer, Redtb., v. Kiesenw., de Bonv. 



(Elater dermestoides, L.) 



Forehead with two distinct parallel longitudinal ridges in front between the eyes, 



and a very short indistinct one between them. 

 Thorax scarcely perceptibly dilated at the sides in front of the posterior angles, 



finely and somewhat thickly punctate. 

 Elytra punctate-striate, all the striae distinct; the interstices with two irregular 



series of sparsely disposed punctures anteriorly, which gradually assume the 



position of a simple row posteriorly. 



II. Eyes with an oblique central groove running completely across them. 

 Sp. 2. T. elateroides, Heer, de Bonv. 



Forehead with two fine parallel longitudinal ridges in front between the eyes. 



Thorax conspicuously dilated at the sides in front of the posterior angles, finely 

 and rather thickly punctate. 



Elytra finely punctate-striate, the striae next the suture obsolete; the interstices 

 thickly and finely punctate. 



The frontal ridges are, in some individuals, so faintly raised as to be distinguish- 

 able only in a good light and in thoroughly clean specimens. 



Sp. 3. T. obtusus. Curt., Steph., v. Kiesenw., de Bonv. 



Forehead convex, scarcely perceptibly punctate, and without the faintest trace of 



longitudinal ridges. 

 Thorax very short, and very much dilated at the sides in front of the posterior 



angles, sparsely punctate. 

 Elytra finely punctate-striate, the striae next the suture usually very faint; the 



interstices somewhat thickly minutely punctate." 



Mr. Saunders exhibited a singular conical nidus, which he considered to be that 

 of a spider, from New South Wales, formed out of a single leaf, by a series of folds, 

 so artfully contrived that the whole of the leaf was used up in its construction', 

 SECOND SERIES — VOL. I. 2 O 



