28 THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S RECORD. 
M. Oberthiir, recognising that it is largely a matter of opinion, and 
showing that other views may be held, says that armoricana, bellieri, 
and nivea are as good species as ligurica. It was to assist in getting 
further material to settle these points that he and Mr. Powell worked 
during last summer on armoricana, and appeal to their friends to 
study the forms at their disposal, in order finally to clear up these 
questions. 
Coleoptera at Barton Mills. 
By H. DONISTHORPE, F.Z.S., F.E.S. 
On September Sth I went to Barton Mills for a few days collecting, 
my principal object being Cicnus longicollis Bris., a beetle I had not 
taken before. Pool had kindly told me along which road I should best 
find the food-plant, Verbascum thapsus, but when J got on the ground I 
found I had forgotten which road he said, and of course took the wrong 
one! After tramping for a long time I only succeeded in finding a 
single, nearly dead, Mullein spike, but off this I obtained seven speci- 
mens of the Cionus. Subsequently, however, I found it in plenty on 
other Mullein plants all over the district, and no doubt it can always 
be taken wherever the plant occurs in this locality. After making sure 
of the Cionus I next endeavoured to locate Brachonya pineti Pk., a few 
specimens of which had previously been taken by Sharp (Dr.) and Fryer 
in the district. After beating innumerable young Scots Firs, I at 
length struck on a spot where the beetle occurred fairly freely, and some 
twenty specimens were bottled. It is very hard to see in the net, as it 
closely resembles the seeds, and especially the bits of buds beaten with 
it off the fir trees. Fryer told me that he had taken two or three indi- 
viduals in March off large old firs, but these no doubt were hybernating 
specimens. ‘The occurrence of this species so far south, which has only 
been found in the Highlands otherwise in Britain, is very interesting. 
I then proceeded to hunt for Lycoperdina succincta Li., a beetle which 
was only added to the British list, from this locality, last year by Dr. 
Nicholson [Hnt. Mo. Mag., 52, 253 (1916)], who captured nine speci- 
mens out of ripe Lycoperdon gemmatum, on October Ist, and six more 
on October 4th. Many “ puff-balls”” were examined without result, but 
one of the beetles was eventually found under some fungi on a fir 
stump. One Lycoperdon gemmatum, which was inhabited by a number 
of small white beetle larvee was brought home, and so far I have bred 
one L. succincta from it; the larva feeding up, pupating, and emerging 
in less than a month. 
Pocadius ferrugineus F., was very abundant in Lycoperdons, varying 
much in colour and size, the largest I took measures 4:5mm. in length, 
and the smallest 8mm. I have since bred several specimens from the 
“ ouff-ball’’ I brought home; these having taken much longer to 
emerge than the Lycoperdina. [Since the above was written I have 
bred a g and a 2 of Caenocara subglobosa Muls., a species new to 
Britain, from this same puff-ball.] 
Other beetles found on Mulleins were—Apion sanguineum De G., on 
the large lower leaves, and Lonyitarsus tabidus F., and its ab. thapsi 
F., in plenty. Another species ?, which Dr. Sharp had previously taken 
here in plenty, and thinks may be distinct, was also common. I had 
separated mine from tabidus before I sent them to him, and he tells me 
