DALAL 
REVIEW. 
An Exchange List of British Coleoptera. E. A. Newbery and W. E. 
Sharp. Plymouth: J. H. Keys, 1915. Price 6d. This list of British 
beetles is based on the European catalogue of 1906. Though at first sight 
the changes introduced in many instances appear to be extremely revolu- 
tionary, it is advisable that our nomenclature should be brought into line 
with that used by Continental entomologists. The majority of the new 
names have already been given as synonyms by Canon Fowler in his standard 
work, and if some familiar names are renounced in favour of others, it is 
to be hailed as a distinct advance towards the goal of final stable nomen- 
clature, based on the law of priority wherever possible. The last catalogue 
of British coleoptera was published in 1904 by Professor T. Hudson Beare 
and Mr. H. St. J. Donisthorpe, and since that date large numbers of species 
have been added to our list and these are incorporated in the catalogue 
under review. Several instances in which confusion may arise owing to 
a reciprocal alteration of names may be briefly mentioned, in addition to 
the example cited by Mr. Stainforth (The Naturalist, 1915, p. 403), as regards 
our British species of Noferus Clair (both of which are Yorkshire insects). 
Thus the name Bembidium littorvale Oliv. should rightly be applied to B. 
paludosum Panz. and the species known by British coleopterists as /ittorale 
should become wstulatum L. Philhydrus melanocephalus Ol. becomes 4. 
punctatus Herbst. and Enochrus bicoloy Payk. becomes Philhydvus melano- 
cephalus Ol. The insect formerly called Ochthebius rufimarginatus Steph. 
is sunk in dzcolon Germ. and our insect known as bicolon Germ. becomes 
impressicollis Lap. The very common large Ceycyon which Canon Fowler 
calls haemorrhotdalis Herbst. ((Fab.) Beare and Donisthorpe), isnow known 
as impressus Sturm, and the almost equally common but smaller flavipes 
Fab. (of Fowler and B. & D.) is now haemorrhotdalis Fab. (nec. Herbst.), 
Cercyon obsoletus Gyll. becomes Jugubris Ol. and C. lugubris Pk. becomes 
convexiusculus Steph. Stilicus affinis Er. (Fowler and B. & D.) is sunk 
in orbiculatus Pk. and orvbiculatus Er. (Fowler), Pk. (B. and D.) becomes 
evichsont Fauv., Sphaevodervma testaceum F. is now vubidum Graells and S. 
cavdut Gyll. becomes testaceum Gyll., Cassida equestyis Fab. becomes viridis 
L. and our old viridis Fab. (Fowler) L. (B. & D.), is now rubiginosa Mull. 
These are the most noticeable instances in which confusion is likely to occur 
for some time, but if coleopterists in recording will always add the name of 
the author of the species there should be no doubt as to which insect is 
meant. A large number of beetles noted in this catalogue have the suffix 
Brit. Cat. and this is a distinct advantage in shewing at once that there is 
considerable doubt at this time to what author the species should correctly 
be referred ; for example, there is no doubt that our Cryptopleuyum atomar- 
tum should be called minutum F., but it is by no means certain whether 
it is the atomarium Muls. (of Fowler) or atomarium Ol. (of B. & D.). Many 
varieties have had to be omitted, as explained in the editors’ note, and this 
is not of any serious moment as far as mere colour aberrations are concerned. 
However, in the case of well defined varieties it is in some cases uncertain 
whether the variety should be sunk in the type (as is done in the Ewr. Cat. 
with the var. procera Er. of Aleochava spadicea Er.), or whether they are 
omitted for economy of space only, without any doubt of their value as 
varieties; e.g., Scymnus sutuvalis Thun. var. limbatus Steph., Aphodius 
depressus Kug. var. nigripes Steph., Chrysomela ovichalcia Mull. var. hobsoni 
Steph. and Anthicus flovalis L. var. quisquilius Th., all of which are York- 
shire insects. With regard to Bembidium andve@ F. and its var. bualer 
Duy. (anglicanum Sharp), it is the latter which occurs on the Yorkshire 
coast, and again with Elmis mauget Bed. var. aeneus Mull., the type does not 
appear to occur in the county. Two interesting varieties added to the 
list are Rhantus exoletus Forst. var. nigriveniris (n. var.) based on specimens 
taken at Askham Bog by Mr. W. E. Sharp in March, 1895 and Caftus 
xantholoma Gr. var. vaviegatus Er., taken at Bridlington by Mr. W. E. 
Sharp in 1909, and by Mr. J. H. Keys at Plymouth. The use of the dagger 
1916 Mar. 1. 
